


Dalton Academy Blues

by Brien_James



Category: Glee
Genre: Drama, F/M, Friendship, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-04-12
Updated: 2012-06-06
Packaged: 2017-10-18 12:20:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 121,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/188844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brien_James/pseuds/Brien_James
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Fox had green-lit a spinoff series with minor tie-ins to Glee? A story set in an all-male academy in Westerville, OH, with a focus on slice of life, character development, and normal teen issues. I give you Dalton Academy Blues, a series about life, friendship, achievement, and love in all its various forms.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fish Out of Water

**Author's Note:**

> The entire conceit of this serial story is that it is basically its own TV series. It exists in the same universe as Glee, but with its own plot lines, characters and themes. It could be considered a spin-off of sorts. My focus is more on slice of life scenes and drama than comedy and musical performances although they are definitely there. I've taken liberties with some assumptions about the backgrounds of several of the Warblers and Dalton in general, but I think it's all for the best. Relationship tags are for the whole story, not the first chapter(s).
> 
> Warblers Cast: Telly Leung/Wes, Titus Makin Jr./David, Eddy Martin/Thad, Dominic Barnes/Trent, Riker Lynch/Jeff, Curt Mega/Nick, Nelson Beato/Adam, Jon Hall/Carey, Darren Criss/Blaine
> 
> Non-Warblers: Doug Brochu/Toby, Haley Joel Osmet/Jimmy, Drake Bell/Tim, Josh Peck/Aaron, Josh Hutcherson/William
> 
> Please Read & Review. Thanks.

**Dalton Academy Blues**

"Fish Out of Water"

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own the characters appearing in the television show universe of Glee, nor the world itself. This is not meant as a challenge to the owners and creators of the show.

* * *

September 19th, 2010

Aaron stepped out of the car and looked at the building the size of a castle. He looked over his shoulder back towards the entrance to the driveway, examined the guard building near the open entranceway which was the only breach in a brick wall that rose at least ten feet in height. He didn't want to admit it, but the campus seemed very secure. His parents didn't care about that though, they cared more about his education and opportunities. He didn't quite feel like entrance to Dalton was the reward his parents obviously did. Still, the campus administration had made a big to do about his grades from freshman year, and had offered him a work study waiver.

As long as he showed up for work every day he was scheduled, when not sick of course, Dalton would feed him, provide him a dormitory bunk and an education. His parents only had to purchase new clothes for him to wear with the trademark Dalton uniform jacket and sweater that were required. Aaron looked over at his parents as they got out of the vehicle and stood looking at the campus in wonder and admiration. His mother walked towards him as his father headed towards the trunk to grab his things.

"Well, this is the place, Ash. Imagine the things you'll learn here? And if you keep your grades up you can get your tuition covered for the next two years and get an excellent placement for college!" she said. Aaron groaned, having been ashamed of his first name since the first day of first grade, when suddenly Ashley was a girl's name.

"Mom, you know I go by my middle name. Don't embarrass me at the new school too," he pleaded. He had no illusions that school here wasn't going to be just as tough to navigate as his old high school.

"Ashley Aaron Garvin, you had better get over this silliness. You're named after your grandfather and his grandfather before him. Take pride in your legacy," she said as she gathered her purse and followed his father up the path to the dormitory door. He sighed and headed to the back seat to grab his things. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad here, if he could get through the day without his parents drawing too much attention to him. He had hoped that arriving a full day after the dormitory opened would let him sort of blend in. Then he kicked himself thinking that seeing what the cat had dragged in on day two was bound to be more alluring than being classified as an eager beaver.

He walked into the main hall of the dormitory's ground floor and headed after his parents to the room he was assigned to. He walked past a mounted cork board and made a mental note to read it in earnest afterwards. He saw a handful of headlines 'Be a Rock Star', 'Summer Field Trip' and 'Your Parents Don't Live Here, Be Responsible For Your Own Mess', including one that made him roll his eyes 'There is Nothing Traumatic about being Dramatic'. He'd have to get back to those later, the field trip in particular caught his eye.

* * *

On Monday morning, Wes walked down the hallway towards the Warblers' room and heard that there was a bunch of buzz running up and down the corridors of Dalton. He paid it little heed until he pushed open the doors leading to their inner sanctum and saw that the Warblers were engaging in just as much gossip as the rest of the school. He gravitated naturally to David and pulled his jacket sleeve, "What's everybody so worked up about?"

David leaned in and said, "The new transfer is apparently special. Minor celebrity or something."

Wes looked shocked, as he had definitely not heard anything about this. It wasn't unusual for students to transfer into Dalton Academy for their last year of high school. Plenty of third years did it every year, the stricter curriculum helped them improve their chances for college admissions. It was however unusual that anybody would transfer in from outside of Ohio, and apparently from notoriety or stardom. "Who is he?"

David shrugged and said, "I don't know. But we better get things started or this meeting won't get anywhere, and neither will the auditions." He stood up and cleared his throat. The regulars who were present didn't hear him at first, so he loudly said, "Quiet! If we could have your attention?" At that Wes stood next to David and they surveyed the crowd. David continued, "Okay, Warblers, we have some business to conduct before we head into the senior commons and conduct auditions." He paused and surveyed the crowd. He saw Trent, Jeff, and Adam second and third years who joined last year, and Thad, Carey and Nick who were long time members of the Warblers.

Wes picked up the thread and said. "As you know, Michael graduated last year leaving David and myself as the only members of the leading council. I know it's still a week before classes start, but we need to focus long enough to nominate council, vote and head to auditions. The floor is open for nominations!"

Several hands went up and Wes acknowledged them all in turn. It came to be that he, David and Thad were nominated. Wes felt a surge of confidence as he realized what was going on. The other Warblers had decided who they wanted to lead them before this meeting had come to order. As the voting shook out it was that all three of the nominees were elected and business began on auditions.

Thad took point at this time, "Remember, you each have 3 votes and we have about three spots to fill this time out. We can accept up to six boys at this time, but try to be discerning. Not everybody can be a Warbler." He lead the way to the door and they headed to the Commons.

* * *

At the Commons they were hit with all manner of solos from expectant hopefuls, but one new student stood out among all the rest, Blaine Anderson. His voice was strong, and his pitch was perfect. The song he auditioned with, _God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You_ was an unusual choice, but it showcased his range and voice. Thad was certain that all the Warblers would vote for him, making him the first unanimous member appointed in three years.

As the Warblers dismissed the hopefuls and they stepped back into the dormitory hall, they heard a strong, baritone voice wafting down the corridors and they gathered as a group to go find the singer. As they approached, the voice resolved into the words of _You Belong With Me_ sung octaves lower but still in tune. Trent and Thad forged ahead when they made the turn down the first floor hallway and the two of them walked down the hall and made a hard turn towards the only open door to see one of the most unusual spectacles. Inside was a medium height boy with shaggy, slightly curly blonde hair and a stocky, overweight build dancing back and forth, singing the last verse of Taylor Swift's hit single. He was unpacking clothes and belongings as he sang, and Trent couldn't help but stare at his behind as the tight jeans performed their function perfectly.

It wasn't until the rest of the group arrived as the song ended, that the boy heard the gasps and general clamor out in the hall. He looked up, rectangular framed glasses on his face, and reached his right hand up underneath the edges of his mop of golden hair to pull his iPod earbuds out of his ears. He sheepishly grinned, "Uh, hello. I'm Tobias Armstrong." When the group continued to stare at him rather dumbfounded he continued, "Is one of you my roommate?"

Trent was flustered and leaned back into Adam for support. The others looked back and forth between them and Adam vocalized what they were all thinking, "Toby Armstrong is at Dalton?"

Jeff was thunderstruck and quiet as a mouse as Wes asked, "Hey, isn't this Jeff's room?"

* * *

Jeff sat with Toby at lunch later that day, this being the first time he had put on the Dalton uniform. The two of them were an odd pair, with Jeff being extremely thin, in sharp contrast to Toby's weight, and while both boys were blonde, Jeff had highlights to lighten the top of his head. Their level of ease was also in sharp contrast with Toby being laid back and just absorbing things around him, and Jeff feeling uncomfortable. Finally, Jeff couldn't hold it in any longer, he turned to Toby and asked, "Toby, why are you at Dalton of all places?"

Toby shrugged and turned to face Jeff, looking him directly in the eyes, "My grades dropped so much that I'm repeating my last year and my parents said I couldn't return to my acting career until I graduated." Toby had clear blue eyes, and even through his glasses the gaze locked with Jeff's own brown eyes and gave him all of his attention.

Jeff pressed further, "No, I get that you had to go to school somewhere, but why here?"

Toby laughed, and his dimples appeared as he explained, "Oh that's easy enough. Dalton is quiet and private, has an excellent rating among schools nationwide, and it's about as far away as I can get from Hollywood and the media right now."

Trent sat down across from them and chimed in, obviously overhearing part of the conversation as he had approached. "Are you trying to distance yourself from a breakup back in California?" Trent and Toby seemed to have more in common, both in terms of build and in the ease that belied their surroundings. Trent was less starstruck now that Toby was in Dalton Blues, but an observer might not be sure that he wasn't more interested in staring at Toby's face than the words about to come out of it.

Toby laughed that off, and reached for his glass of milk, "Nah, I've never seriously dated anyone, so it's not that I'm running from someone. I just wanted to go someplace normal."

The brunet boy flipped his head to the left and playfully asked, "You do know who you are, right? Toby Armstrong: series regular on 'Welcome to Mollywood', at least until this year, and lead actor in the movie 'Big Time' for which you won an award. Before that you guest starred on a few Nickelodeon shows. If you thought coming to an all boys school would give you anonymity you were mistaken."

Toby looked taken aback, "Wow, you really know my work. Don't tell me you're a fan?"

Trent cocked his head to the side, and stated, "I don't almost faint in the doorway of every new Dalton student. Of course I'm a fan!"

Toby grinned and put the glass down, "Well it's nice to know I have a fan, but we're classmates now. I hope you can stand being around the real me. I'm not as confident as some people would think, and I'm sometimes a klutz, and I tell bad jokes all the time."

Trent's face lit up, "Careful, or I'll ask you out. I'm rather persistent too." He turned back to his plate, as if it were a joke, but he poked at his food as he waited to hear Toby's response.

Trent could hear the smile on Toby's lips as he said, "Oh, you're gay? My best friend back home is gay, at least before I got into show business. I mean he was my best friend before I went to Hollywood. We always had fun going to the mall, and I must say if it wasn't for him I'd never have gotten over my dislike of shopping for anything but video games."

Trent smiled as he answered, "Yes, I'm gay. Dalton is one of the few schools in Southern Ohio where I felt safe to be myself, even if it is a bit of a cliche." Trent noted to himself that Toby had dodged the thrust of the comment and just sighed. Cluelessly oblivious, straight or ambivalent; Toby would still be great to hang around with.

It was like one of Trent's dreams come true. He had come out of the closet in fourth grade when he asked his best friend to be his boyfriend, and been roughly rejected by his small town community. He had turned to Hollywood in his isolation and always knew that one day he'd be rubbing elbows with stars and heartthrobs. He just never suspected that a star would be rubbing elbows with him before he left Ohio.

The blonde boy stood up and grabbed Trent's right hand from across the table. He said, "I don't think that's cliche. You have to go somewhere where you'll be appreciated for who you are. I would never want to go to school somewhere that I feared for my health. I'm glad to really meet you, Trent." Then he smiled a genuine smile, dimples glowing for all they were worth, and Trent felt himself melting, green eyes meeting pools of blue. Toby shook his hand and finally Trent came back to himself and shook back. They parted and Toby sat back down.

Jeff tried to jump back into the conversation, "So, we were thinking that you should audition for the Warblers, our Show Choir. Trent and I are members, and it's a great group. We perform in competition, and at select local organizations all over the area."

The star went back to his plate and just said, "I don't think that's a good idea. One, I can't sing very well. Two, I'm trying to really enjoy this one year."

Jeff laughed openly at that. "You can have a lot of fun as a Warbler, and we found you yesterday because you were singing. When half the Warblers show up at your door because we heard you, you can sing just fine."

Toby blushed, "Well that was just for fun. I can't do that well in front of a crowd. In front of a camera is less difficult, but only because I pretend nobody can see it."

At this, Trent chimed back in, "You, camera shy? Just because you're singing? You went to the BFC awards last year wearing a fire engine red blazer." Toby looked down, not sure how to respond to that.

Jeff just peered at Trent, the questioning look causing him to elaborate, "He walked up on stage and accepted the Best Young Actor Award wearing the loudest coat ever." Then he turned back to Toby and asked, "How are you camera shy?"

The older boy stopped eating and at that point chose to stare at the tabletop instead of making eye contact with anyone. "I just don't think my voice is very good. It makes me nervous to sing for other people's entertainment..." he said his voice trailing off into silence. He poked at his food for a few seconds more and then slowly stood up. "I guess I'm not as hungry as I thought. I'll see you guys later." Toby picked up his tray and slowly walked away towards the bussing area.

Trent's mouth hung open as his eyes watched the other boy's back recede. Jeff reached over and punched Trent in the arm, causing him to close his mouth and look back over at Jeff, "What was that for?"

Jeff said, "That is for driving off my new roommate. Just because he's a star doesn't mean he isn't a person. Everybody has stuff that makes them uncomfortable."

Trent looked sad and said, "Yeah, but his singing was so effortless and the quality was emotional. He has nothing to be ashamed of!"

Jeff finished his own plate quickly and said, "I agree, but right now I have to run and do damage control. And to think I was the nervous one when we sat down earlier." He got up, grabbed his tray and took off after Toby at full speed. Trent heard other people scream, "Slow Down", or "Watch It" as Jeff dodged through tables to catch up to his roommate.

Trent turned back to the empty spots at the table across from him. He could salvage this. Everybody puts their foot in their mouth sometimes, so Trent resolved to make it up to him. He wouldn't let this one incident rain out the day for Toby or for him.

* * *

The middle-aged woman with greying brown hair wearing a cool light gray blazer over a white blouse looked up as Toby knocked on the door frame to announce himself. He offered, "Mrs. Reginald, you wanted to see me?"

She beckoned him inside and motioned for him to sit. "That's correct, Mr. Armstrong. I have a brief conference with each new student as head mistress of this school and you will be no exception," she said. He walked around to the front of the chair and sat down, for the first time since arriving feeling actually nervous. She could read him like an open book and said, "You're not in trouble yet, Mr. Armstrong." She smiled and used her eyes to draw his attention. "Relax," she said.

Now that he was simply sitting there and waiting she asked, "So how have you settled in so far? I hear you arrived earlier today, and I see that you're comfortable in your uniform already."

Toby smiled genuinely and answered, "Things are good. My roommate and I finally broke the ice and everybody's been great so far."

Mrs. Reginald nodded and she leaned back in her own chair, adopting a relaxed posture. This was a strategy she had used for years to put students at ease when discussing serious topics, as she also used an on edge sitting position when she wanted them to squirm. She could tell that this particular former star didn't have a chip on her shoulder to fight against, so she decided to go this route. "We have a host of rules here at Dalton, but if you can follow this abbreviated list you'll do fine. Firstly, there is no bullying, under any circumstances or for any reason. This includes repeatedly belittling people verbally, physical abuse, and sabotage attempts. If I find you've bullied another boy, I'll have to expel you," she said in a common sense sort of tone.

When he had nodded his comprehension she went on, "Secondly, physical altercations are frowned upon, but as boys will be boys, I punish such incidents based on all the facts involved. Thirdly, you will comport yourself with the minimum modicum of decency to honor your position at this school. Your uniform is your reminder that you belong to an institution that has high standards. Standards that were altered for your situation so as to vastly improve your academic achievement." She pointedly looked at his uniform as she commented on it, "It is encouraged that you wear your uniform at all times, and that you keep it clean whenever possible. That last guideline is wide reaching. I don't know if you have a smoking habit, or have engaged in underage drinking before, but if you are acting in a manner in which you could be arrested for your behavior, believe me when I say that I will take a dim view of the activity."

Toby put on a serious face and said, "I've never smoked before, and I know better than to go looking to buy alcohol. My manager would have done far worse than expel me if I had."

She looked him in the eye and then nodded, "I believe you, and I believe you aren't a Hollywood party boy, so if you put forth some effort, and perform up to expectations I think this will be a good year for you and you can get back to your career soon enough."

* * *

"Hey, Allie, how was your day?" Nick asked, as he sequestered himself in his room. He had waited until his roommate was wandering the halls getting his bearings in order to garner the most privacy possible. It was Tuesday afternoon and after the first day of being apart, he didn't feel like he could wait any longer.

Allison for her part was eager to hear from him, her tone conveyed that in spades, "It's all better now. I can't believe you don't even have class for a week? I've got my first tests coming up!"

Nick didn't like to be the cause of too much distraction, he knew how important her grades were to her. "If I called at a bad time, I can call back, or you know we could text instead."

She quickly put an end to that line of thought and assured him, "No, no. I am ready for a break. I hate the term polynomial so much right now, and I've still got days to prepare."

He laughed into his cell and asked, "So, is senior math turning out to be more challenging than you thought it might be?"

She immediately responded, "Challenging no. Tedious yes. We covered all of this five months ago, and we've been drilling on it since class began. I think we've got it by now."

Nick smiled and sat down on his bed, "Well, I missed you after one day apart." She snickered and eventually replied, "I miss you too. Are you coming home to celebrate my math test this weekend?"

Nick was silent for a moment, and then said, "I don't know yet. I want to, but we agreed to slow down."

"Come on, Nick. It's just this once. Then we can visit less often," she pleaded. He knew he would give in, so rather than draw things out and make both of them more disappointed, he decided to just agree now. "Yeah, I'll come see you. Do you want to go hiking, or would you prefer to go downtown and window shop?"

Allison replied without missing a beat, "Hiking, duh. We can window shop just as well when there's snow on the ground." Nick couldn't help but widen his smile, her sense of humor, her practical mind, these were things he couldn't help falling for.

He said, "I'll see you around 11 then. Love you."

She said, "Love you too." before hanging up. Fortified with something concrete to look forward to, Nick set about rearranging his belongings for the sixteenth time. He didn't know why he was always so restless with the way his environment was arranged, but he did begin to hum while working this time.

* * *

With two more days before the weekend, the Warblers posted the list of hopefuls who had made it into the group up in the Senior Commons and outside their practice room. The four boys who had made the cut joined the senior and other junior members that afternoon to begin practicing.

Wes stepped forward and said, "We've got our first practice piece, and it's a difficult one, but it's also the caliber of what we're shooting for in competition." As he spoke, Thad and David passed out music parts, instructing each boy as to what line they should sing. The more seasoned boys were asked to perform the a capella background, and even with the minimal recording they prepped to play it would be challenging. Startlingly, David told Blaine that he was singing the solo.

They started the tape player and the synthetic beats of _Leave Me Alone_ by Michael Jackson filled the room. The boys began singing along, filling in the auditory space till the sound was bouncing off the walls. Blaine noticed that Trent was getting particularly into it as he shifted from side to side while providing one of the melodic lines.

Blaine started over the background beats, "I Don't Care What You Talkin' Bout Baby! I Don't Care What You Say. Don't You Come Walkin' Beggin' Back Mama. I Don't Care Anyway!" He was a natural and he began walking around the room as he sang, growing more confident as the harmonizers joined in at the chorus. As the singers got more confident, they threw away their sheets of music and Blaine lost himself in the performance.

The chorus "Leave Me Alone" rang off the walls in four part harmony and several students who overheard the performance began to gather in the hallway outside the Warbler's practice room. As the final bars faded away, the Warblers congratulated each other, slapping hands on backs, giving each other high fives and making sure that they all knew what they had just accomplished. It was a few minutes before anybody noticed that Toby Armstrong was also standing in the open doorway, flanked on all sides by other students, with his mouth hanging open. Jeff saw him first and smiled, waving him inside. He said, "Toby!" and made his way over.

Trent heard and gravitated over as well. Toby just clapped a few times as he stood looking at the Warblers with a wide grin on his face, "Wow. Just wow. See you guys don't need someone like me dragging you down."

Jeff clapped Toby on the back and said, "Hey, if you ever feel comfortable being here we'll make a place for you. So did you just come to check up on your roomie?"

Toby grinned but then shook his head as if he was suddenly remembering something, and pulled a piece of paper out from his back pocket, "No, I need help. I was hoping you could help me find my way around. I am still getting lost around the halls."

As Jeff began to answer, Trent spoke up, "Hey, let me do that. I'll give you a general tour too. It's the least I can do after lunch the other day."

Toby looked at Trent and smiled, "Hey, it's not your fault my skin is thin about that. You didn't know."

Trent casually rested his elbow on Jeff's shoulder and replied, "That's not much of an excuse, and besides it'll be fun." Jeff pushed Trent off with a laugh and Trent reached forward and took the paper from Toby's hands. "Have fun, guys. I'll see you back at the room later, Toby." Trent began walking from the room and Toby absently waved and followed Trent out, catching up with the other boy as they hit the first corridor.

Blaine had been observing the entire exchange and turned to Jeff as he rejoined the group, "What was that about, Jeff?"

Jeff shrugged, "My roommate is new, so he's still getting lost."

This didn't seem to be what Blaine meant as he continued, "No, I got that. I mean I'm pretty sure that Trent's either starstruck or has a crush and Toby Armstrong is encouraging it."

Wes shook his head, "As far as we can tell, although it's only been a couple of days, Toby left his star-sized ego on the plane. It's actually surreal how normal he is."

Nick commented, "I am pretty sure he's not trying to get into Trent's pants." He cracked a smile as he continued, "Trent on the other hand I can't comment on."

Blaine shook his head, "I hope things go well, whatever that ends up meaning." He paused and then looked at each of the boys standing around him. "So why'd you give me the solo on our first practice piece?" he asked.

Thad walked up and clapped Blaine on the back, "Consider it a reward for being the first Warbler to be unanimously accepted since 2007. If you keep it up, we'll give you even more solos. Welcome to the Warblers, Blaine."

* * *

Trent walked down the large open halls, leading Toby from room to room. He absentmindedly waved at one of the closed classrooms with his right hand as he read the sheet of paper, "And this is where your geometry class is." He looked up and made eye contact with Toby, "Ooh, Mr. Parkhurst. He doesn't grade on a curve. Good luck with that one."

Toby eyed the room like he was going to prison next week and then sighed, "Well, at least I like reading so the next class should be fun. It's two hallways over, isn't it?"

Trent nodded and put his arm around Toby's shoulder as if he was guiding him onto a stage, "See, you're starting to learn your way around."

Toby smiled as they walked onward, "Well, I've got a great teacher."

Trent smirked and then put a somewhat serious look on his face. "Toby, can I ask you a personal question?"

Toby got a serious look on his face and looked Trent in the eyes. He cracked a wary smile and said, "I guess. I just won't answer if it's too personal, okay?"

Trent separated from Toby and pointed at his glasses while asking with a grin, "Are you near or far sighted?"

Toby just stared at Trent for a few moments before he laughed out loud and the sound filled the hallway as they resumed their journey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I find it unusual to have to go back and add notes to the first chapter, but this site makes it so easy to do, and I think it's warranted. Please don't be intimidated by the length of this story. It's told in a style of vignette style scenes with an ensemble cast. I'd ask you give it 2 or 3 chapters, if you like it keep reading. If you don't you're only out however long it takes you to read 10,000-15,000 words, and I thank you for your time regardless. I'm rather proud of this piece, as it's the longest cohesive work I've ever written.


	2. One Among Many

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first days of the actual school year, not just move-in-time, things begin to move forward

**Disclaimer** : I still don't own Glee.

* * *

September 27th, 2010

Blaine got up, and spent a little over an hour in the bathroom between his shower and just generally getting ready. Then he headed to the dining hall, jacket on, tie synched up, hair perfect and smile ready to shine. As he turned the corner towards the closed door, he held his breath. Today was the first day of classes, and he meant to finally make his mark here at Dalton, and not just in the show choir.

He pushed open the double doors and stepped inside, holding the edges of each slab of wood as he stood there looking toward the line. As he hoped, a few of the others looked his way, but it wasn't attention he wanted, not exactly. Blaine wanted a reputation as an upstanding student, a role model, and a good friend. In short, he wanted to be the perfect Dalton Academy student.

He reflected on the past as he got in line and waited to grab a tray. Life at his junior high school had hardly been fair, and he had tried to hide more than fit in or stand out. He felt like he had been hiding who he was for half a decade, and it only became more necessary when someone raided his locker at school and stole his journal. The contents inside pretty much painted him as a gay kid, firmly in the closet, but thinking 'impure' thoughts every day of every week.

His secret thoughts were posted on a website, page by agonizing page. And despite his parents coming together to protect him as soon as they knew what was going on, it was already too late. They did everything in their power to have the web page shut down and the boy who had stolen his property indicted, but the entire school knew who Blaine really was by then, and those who didn't turn on him or ignore him, made it their life's mission to ruin his.

After three weeks of abuse, he refused to go to school and the school didn't do anything at all to stop the bullying. Blaine's parents filed papers with the Board of Education to home school him for the remaining two months of the year, but that wasn't a permanent solution. Besides, Blaine had thrived on being around other people his age, even if he had tried not to be noticed by any of them. Last year had been his first year at Dalton, and he had kept a low profile, feeling out the landscape.

Now, as a second year student he felt that he had a chance to really be himself. To not hide his beautiful voice, or his sense of showmanship and style, to wow his teachers with his wit and knowledge, and to take no prisoners in the fight for academic awards. Blaine made his way to the buffet line and worked his way through, grabbing some eggs for protein, some fruit and some water to drink.

"Hey, Blaine! Good morning!" came from over his right shoulder. It was Adam, one of the Warblers. Blaine set his tray down so he wouldn't spill anything and then turned halfway around to give him a fist bump and to slap hands in greeting.

"How are you this fine day, Adam? I tell you, I can't wait to tackle classes and then maybe hit the pool for some laps this afternoon," he said, a wistful smile playing over his face as he talked about swimming.

Adam looked at him and just shook his head, "Over achiever." He set his own tray down so he could grab some toast, "You know, we often sit together in the morning. Why don't you join us?"

Blaine nodded, grabbed his tray and looked around for the table. As his eyes scanned quickly over the tables filled with students, he saw the one thing that would tinge his bright morning with negative emotions. Toby Armstrong, a young actor on hiatus from Hollywood, was sitting at a table halfway across the room. For some reason Blaine could not quite pin down, the husky, blonde kid rubbed him the wrong way.

He was sure he might appreciate him more outside of school, but his feelings were off about him. They were practically unfounded as well. Toby seemed like a nice guy, always had a ready smile, admitted he had a weight problem but didn't beat himself up about it, and even wore glasses. He was anything but perfect, but his pedigree of comedic acting and dramatic flair made him stand out among the sea of boys at the Academy. Blaine didn't want to admit it, but he was jealous of the attention Toby always seemed to get, especially because he wasn't chasing after any of it.

"Earth to Blaine," Adam said, leaning closer to his ear and then pointing towards the table of Warblers. Blaine shook himself out of his reverie and started to walk to the appointed table. As he reached the table and said his greetings he saw one Warbler veer from the buffet lines towards Toby's table. Blaine was certain that something unwholesome was going on between Toby and Trent. Even Jeff, Toby's roommate, was sitting here with the rest of the Warblers. Still, it was conceivable that they would have at least one class together, and given Dalton's extended class times and block scheduling, cleverly designed to get the boys used to university life, he might be spending a lot of time around him.

Wes smirked and asked, "So how are you settling in? Is Pavarotti waking you up early?"

Blaine turned his focus back to the table he was sitting at, and simply said, "No. He's fine. So who else has American History first period?"

* * *

One dark-haired boy wearing a red sweater over his dress shirt and tie made his way through the hallways being led by a seeing eye dog. He stopped and felt along the wall for the braille signs depicting the room numbers. Satisfied he turned into the doorway and went to a desk near the back. He sharply said, "Aaron Neville, sit!" and he dropped the harness from his hand.

"William, how was your summer? Did you go on vacation with your parents?" a familiar voice asked him.

William smiled and turned to the voice, answering, "It was lovely. My sister taught me about sculpting clay. I made some pottery and some trinkets. How was your summer, Nick?"

Nick smirked and said, "Allison and I spent most every weekend together, but I had to get a job during the week. That was less fun."

William reached into his satchel and felt around until he found the right book and then he pulled it out to set it down on the desk, "It sounds like things are getting serious. Are you visiting her this weekend?"

Nick kneeled down in front of Aaron Neville and began to pet and play with him. "Yeah, we agreed to slow things down, but Springfield's only an hour's drive."

"Nick, don't play with him like that. You'll get him excited and he won't sit still through class. Then I'll get reprimanded," William said.

Nick stopped playing with the dog, petted him one last time and said, "Nothing slips past you, does it?" This caused William to smile widely. Nick held his hands up and begged off, "I'll be good. He's just so adorably cute." William smiled at the compliment about his companion. Nick stood and said, "Well, class starts in a few. I'll bet the instructor is right outside. Talk to you later, Will."

"Later, Nick," he said as Nick moved back to his seat.

William heard a few students arrive right as the instructor strode in with confident steps and said, "Boys, take your seats. My name is Mrs. Partridge. Welcome to Literature II." There was a bit of shuffling and scuffling as everybody got their books and notepads out, and settled in to begin taking notes. The instructor waited just long enough for general silence to fall over the class and she began reading off roll call. "William Arlington. Ah, I see you there. Tobias Armstrong?"

A youthful sounding voice off towards the middle of the class answered, "Here."

Mrs. Partridge continued, "James Bartholomew?"

"Here."

* * *

There was a knock on the dorm room door, and Jeff looked up immediately. Toby was lounging on his bed facing the window and had his head buried in his reading assignment with his iPod earbuds in as usual. He said it helped him concentrate, but Jeff could lightly make out the refrain of  _Your Sweet Six Six Six_  by HIM from across the room and couldn't imagine reading while listening to hard rock. He threw his legs off the bed and jogged to the door. Throwing it open he said, "Yes?"

Trent was standing outside and said, "Hi, Jeff. Mind some company?" Trent didn't hide it very well that he was peering past Jeff to see if he was alone.

Jeff joked back, "Are you sure it's my company you're after?"

Trent blushed slightly, and Jeff just beckoned him to come inside. "Get in here, Trent." Trent walked in, and Jeff closed the door behind him. As he took in the scene before him, he clicked his tongue. Trent commented offhandedly, "Oh dear. He's actually doing his assignments today. How can he be so responsible?"

Toby finally noticed the movement on the other side of the room, and he put down the book, pulled his earbuds out and rolled to face the other boys. "Hi, Trent. What's up, man?" he asked.

Trent said, "Well I was coming to see how you two were holding up." Jeff coughed, perhaps too loudly, and Trent hurriedly continued, "But now that I see the unthinkable, ugh homework, I think we need an outing to cap this spectacular first day."

The shaggy haired blonde wheeled his feet off of his bed and down to the floor and cocked an eyebrow while smirking directly at the brunette, "What did you have in mind?"

"Cold Stone," he responded.

"Cold Stone?"

"Yep, there's one near Northgate Plaza."

"I'm gonna have to jog laps around the school after Cold Stone, but let's go. I love their ice cream!" Toby said excitedly as he gained his feet. He looked at Jeff and exclaimed, "You've gotta come!"

Jeff seemed to feign disinterest for a moment but then laughed and said, "Alright. Who's driving?"

Toby paused and palmed his iPod as he said in a barely tolerable southern accent, "Well, I reckon that'd be me; since ma car'll be headed back to the leasing folks at year's end."

Trent snickered and Jeff rolled his eyes turning to his fellow Warbler, "See what I have to put up with?" Trent just nodded repeatedly as Toby walked towards the door. Jeff said, "He wasn't kidding about the bad jokes."

Toby met them near the door and they headed out, "Alright, alright. I'll stick to my Scottish accent from now on." He stopped just long enough to lock the door as Trent stood in the hall and pantomimed exaggerated excitement, "Ooh, Scotsmen get me so turned on."

"Aye, laddie. Keep up will ye?" came back at him as the others began to walk, and Trent laughed loudly while heading after his friends.

* * *

Blaine was true to his words first thing this morning, and was swimming laps down and back the length of the regulation olympic-sized pool in the athletic sub-complex. Swimming was his favorite form of exercise, and aside from bicycling, the only form of sport he had ever been especially good at. However, the Dalton Academy Swim Team had as grueling a travel schedule as any other sport at a public high school, and he didn't think he could make the time with his obligation to the Warblers.

Another thing attractive about swimming to Blaine, was that his main motivation to swim was one of pure joy, and his main competition was himself. Blaine had never felt compelled to worry about anybody else's lap times while he was in a pool. It was all about making himself better. One nice side effect was that it allowed him to practice breathing exercises too, a secret he hadn't shared with many others. It was at least partially responsible for his prodigious vocal strength.

As he pulled himself from the pool he wiped his eyes dry. He panted because he felt too exhausted to breath solely through his nose. It was a few long minutes of regaining his breath before he saw one of the other students sitting on a bench, with a dog next to him. Blaine shook his head and tried to clear his vision. No, that was definitely a dog, a seeing eye dog in fact. He strode over to the pair and said, "Hey, are you going to swim a few laps? I can swim with you if you want. I know your dog wouldn't be allowed in."

"No, I just came to meet the famous Blaine Anderson. I hear you were unanimously appointed to the Warblers. Good job. I'm William," the blind boy said, extending his right hand towards Blaine.

Blaine shook his hand, wet palm and all, and replied, "Famous? I'm hardly famous."

William shrugged and stood up, picking up his harness in one smooth motion, and his dog stood with him. "Fame is relative. To someone like me, great singing is worthy of fame." William began to walk towards the locker room door, with Blaine following along beside him.

Blaine said, "Thanks. That makes my day. I look forward to seeing you at our first non-practice session." Blaine had a hard time reading William. He hadn't realized until that moment how much he depended on eye contact to discern the emotional state of someone he was talking to. Further than that, he was quite unusual to come all the way to the pool just to meet someone, but he was also very down to earth. He looked at the locker room door and grasping the handle said, "Well, this is me. Take care, William."

William waved and began to walk off as Blaine turned the handle and began to step inside, "Later."

* * *

Later that night he put the blanket on Pavarotti's cage so that he would go to sleep. It was eight o'clock and Blaine planned to get as far in his weekly reading assignment as possible. He wanted to get some time tomorrow afternoon to work on some moves in the dance studio. It was hard to get better at balance and flexibility, but he was nowhere as good a dancer as he was a singer, and he knew it. He had to work hard to be as good as everyone was counting on him to be.

The door opened and Blaine's roommate, Aaron, came in and sat down. They didn't have much history, but he seemed to be an okay sort. Blaine acknowledged him but quickly returned to reading while asking "How was your day?"

"Long day. I just finished at the dining hall, and now I need to relax," He looked over at Blaine and reached for the remote to his television. "Do you mind?" he said, picked up the remote and pointed at the screen with it. It was considerate of his roommate to ask if he'd be interrupting Blaine's reading, but the truth was he didn't get distracted easily.

Blaine looked up, looked at the TV, and then looked back over at Aaron. "Knock yourself out. Just don't fall asleep watching TV because I can sleep through almost anything and I'm not gonna remember to turn it off if you don't." Aaron smirked and toggled the TV on.

The two of them ground through the next two hours, Blaine reading and Aaron absorbing entertainment by osmosis. He didn't even laugh at most of the places where the sitcom writers obviously expected it. When the evening news came on, Blaine put the book down, knowing that his curiosity was likely going to be too piqued to read through the only window on the outer world they got each day.

Aaron turned towards Blaine as the opening began to fade to the anchor personnel. "So, did you meet anybody cool on the first day of classes?"

Blaine responded, "Yeah, I did. I met a boy named William. He's a third year and has a seeing eye dog."

Aaron looked over, "A dog? I thought Dalton had a strict no pet policy, excluding the Warblers' prize bird that is."

Blaine smirked and then shrugged, "He's not really a pet though is he?"

Aaron said, "Oh, well I guess for them to deny him would be against the law."

Blaine said, "Exactly."

Aaron turned back around and turned the sound up, "I wonder if he still likes doggie treats."

Blaine chuckled and settled in to absorb the evening news.

* * *

The next day began as much more challenging for Toby. He hadn't truly overslept, or gotten lost immediately upon leaving the room like yesterday, but Jeff was already up and gone by the time Toby awoke at 6:30 a.m. and he just felt like he was behind. He ran to the showers, cleaned up quickly, taking less time on washing his hair and more on scrubbing the sleep out of his eyes in the hot water. Then he headed back to the room, got dressed and briskly walked to the dining hall. He didn't see anyone he knew there this morning, something he inwardly felt thankful for as he was able to finish breakfast in record time and was on his way to class shortly before they closed the dining hall down at 7:45. As he crossed the threshold into his Chemistry course he resolved to double-check the alarm he set tonight.

He slid into an empty desk and waited for things to proceed. Suddenly he heard a very familiar phrase, "You fight like a dairy farmer!" Toby looked around and saw that one of the boys was hunched over what looked like a smartphone. The answering retort, "How appropriate. You fight like a cow." came from that direction and Toby got up and walked over.

"Monkey Island, huh?" he asked as he drew up alongside the other boy. When he looked at him, really looked at him he realized he'd first seen him yesterday in literature. "You're James, right?" he said, holding out his hand. The auburn haired boy looked up and made eye contact with Toby, and blue eyes matching his own shade showed a degree of mirth at finding a kindred spirit.

James shook Toby's hand and said, "I prefer Jimmy or Jim actually. People often call me Bart though, I'd say I hate it but that doesn't stop them. Who are you? I'm pretty sure we haven't been formally introduced before."

"I'm Toby. I kind of wanted to go by Tobias this year, try out something new, but nobody's calling me that either. So now I'm just not gonna worry about it I guess. So you're into old school computer games, huh? That's awesome," he said. Toby was actually pumped to bump into someone with a similar interest to him. He had left all of his video game stuff at home, but he had brought his computer and he held fond memories for the old graphical adventure games that had really peaked as a genre before he went to middle school.

Jimmy nodded, "Yeah, I'm partial to the LucasArts games. Monkey Island, Indiana Jones, particularly all the scummy ones, but there are some decent ones coming out now too. I could just download this one to my phone, so it's the one I've got with me all the time."

Toby said, "Oh, wow. They're making new adventure games? I thought everything was first person shooters nowadays. That's kind of why I stopped buying computer games."

Jimmy looked at him like he was sprouting a second head, "You really haven't been following anything recently? They released a new Sam & Max game, a new Monkey Island game, and everybody and their brother is waiting for the fan made Kings Quest sequel, although some of my friends have dissed it already."

Toby's mouth dropped open. "Really? All that's happened already? I guess I didn't stop to look that deeply once my career was going."

It was now Jimmy's turn to be puzzled and stand there mouth agape, "Career? Career doing what?"

Toby looked shocked, but somewhat relieved at the same time. He thought to himself, that he must be insanely lucky that Jimmy has no idea who he is. Friendships lasted longer when he just got to be himself. "I was an actor for about four years, but I'm here to graduate right now. So tell me more about this new Monkey Island game."

His new acquaintance smirked and set in to explain the differences, "Well, instead of making a big game and releasing it all at once, they release them a chapter at a time. It means that you can download them on release day, or if someone is in your situation as a johnny come lately, you can snatch the entire season up for a song."

Toby smiled, "I may have to look into that this afternoon. Well, anyway, thanks for the heads up, man."

Jimmy said, "No problem. I can't stand seeing a fellow computer gamer that out of the loop. Do you play video games too?"

Toby nodded and smiled, "Yeah, but I left my xbox at home. I thought it'd be a big distraction but my roommate has been guilting me ever since he found out I own one and didn't bring it."

Jimmy said, "Ah, I know the type. Who is your roommate, by the way? I might know him."

Toby offered a name, "Jeff Garnet."

Jimmy immediately recognized the name, "Ah, one of the Warblers. He's one of the ones who can dance pretty well too." He paused for a second and gave Toby a serious look, "I'd be jealous if I had any intentions of being a performer," but then he cracked a smile to show he was joking.

Toby asked, "So what are you looking to get into after school?"

Jimmy said, "I had thought about politics, but I'm too much of a geek to pull that off. Then I thought about becoming a game programmer, but the industry is changing a lot these days so it'd be kind of like pinning my hopes on another dotcom boom. So I don't know."

Toby grinned and said, "Well those are pretty wide interests, I'm sure you'll find something you have a passion for, maybe you could become a politician who combats the anti-gamer paranoia."

Jimmy responded to that by smirking and saying, "You've got something there. But I think I'll be lucky to find a job once I get to the work force. Passion is all well and good, but opportunity is scarce these days." Jimmy began to watch the other students begin to filter in. "Why don't you move your stuff up here? My lab partner last year was an elitist, and you seem like a nice guy who won't leave me to write up the lab reports by myself."

Toby grimaced at the thought of being left to do something like that alone, and nodded hurriedly. He headed back to his chair and smiled again, thinking that making friends was easier than he thought it was going to be. He'd heard that high school was like a shark tank, and people like him, home schooled kids and tutored teens, were chum in the water.

* * *

Toby collapsed onto his bed, leaving his book bag to fall against the wall. He started to shrug out of his jacket but just felt too exhausted to bother. He took his glasses off, set them on the nightstand and pinched the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes and wished he had something to make the fatigue go away. When he heard the door begin to open he dropped his hand back to his side and opened his eyes to look at the ceiling. "Jeff, how do you do this every day?" he asked as his roommate came strolling into view.

The thinner boy looked over at his husky friend and asked, "Do what? It's just like any other school." Toby abruptly turned his head and locked eyes with him until he laughed and corrected himself, "Okay, it's different. Did the last school you attended have a traditional class schedule?"

Toby nodded and leaned back, again focusing on the ceiling, "7 classes a day, the same classes every day, and thirty minutes for lunch. I'm not used to this block scheduling thing. I'm taking 9 classes and that's only because I have a free time slot second period on Wednesday mornings and Friday afternoons."

Jeff sat down at his desk and Toby heard the distinct chime of his laptop turning on. "Well, so you're used to 45 to 50 minutes at a time, five days a week of the same subject and a lot more rushing around. We have 90 minute classes two times a week, but I know I learn more in the 3 hours of instruction per week per class than the 4 hours I used to get on the other schedule. Plus we can take more courses for fun," he said.

Toby propped himself up and looked at Jeff's desk, "But aren't you tired by the time each of your classes is over? I feel like a truck ran me over today."

"Nope, you get used to it," he responded. Toby could tell he had his web browser open and was looking at Facebook. Thinking about Facebook and all their games reminded him about the Monkey Island game that Jimmy had mentioned first thing this morning. He thought about how the complete attention he had lavished on classes today had very effectively emptied that thought out of his head.

Toby sat up and asked Jeff, "Have you ever played any point-and-click adventure games?"

Jeff looked over his shoulder at Toby with an odd look on his face, "You mean like role-playing games? No."

Toby quickly replied, "No. I mean like Monkey Island or King's Quest."

Jeff shook his head and turned back to his screen, "Nope, never heard of those. I'm kinda into puzzle games like Bejewelled and Peggle. I don't have all that much time to play games each day."

Toby reached over to the wall and pulled his laptop case out. He wondered if the new game was available for Mac. They used to be, but he had a Windows computer back when he used to play those and didn't have to worry about it. He pulled out his own laptop, and fired it up. Minutes later he was searching the web to find out that yes he could buy the game for his computer. However, his computer beeped at him before he had time to reach for his debit card. It was an IM from his friend Nathanyal Jones from the set of Mollywood.

NateCEO4Life: Hey, man. What's up? How's high school?

TobyStrong: Kinda tough, dude. 9 classes a week, 90 minutes per session of class.

NateCEO4Life: I told you not to stay up playing Halo so damn much. :)

TobyStrong: ha ha. You were playing with me half the time.

NateCEO4Life: Nah that was Michael. I maybe played you guys six times before my lady started asking me to spend time with her.

TobyStrong: You two are a good couple. I'm happy you're still with this one.

NateCEO4Life: I know, right? You admit you love them and suddenly everybody else seem remotely uninteresting.

TobyStrong: LOL. I wouldn't know anything about that.

NateCEO4Life: Well we've got maybe eight weeks of freedom before they call us back in to start work on Season 3. Miss you, dude. Wish things didn't have to be this way.

TobyStrong: I know. I'm making the best of it. Met some cool friends already.

NateCEO4Life: Should I be worried about my position as best friend?

TobyStrong: Yes, some of these guys are soo awesome.

NateCEO4Life: :(

NateCEO4Life: Kidding. Anyway, Chelsea, Kimberly and Amy all asked me to tell you that they were thinking of you.

TobyStrong: :) That makes me happy.

NateCEO4Life: What that your friends love you or that you have 3 girls, some of the hottest in Hollywood, thinking about you while you're trapped at an all boys school?

TobyStrong: um the former.

NateCEO4Life: I'll never figure out why you went to a boy's academy, man. There's no dating potential there.

TobyStrong: I am not in school to get dates so that's perfect.

NateCEO4Life: Ok. Ok. I won't get on your case again about how you messed things up with Melissa Wright.

TobyStrong: :( Thanks. :(

NateCEO4Life: Now now. Don't get sad. I really do miss your smiling face and your keen prankster wit, my friend.

TobyStrong: Thanks. U 2.

NateCEO4Life: I know you're trying to ignore your twitter but you should send some notes every so often so everybody knows you're alive.

TobyStrong: Ok. Bye for now.

NateCEO4Life: Later.

Toby called up his twitter page and saw about a hundred new tweets he hadn't read that mentioned him. Oh well he thought to himself as he skimmed through them. There was one from Michael Quest talking about how Toby was headed off to Real Life and another from Amy Burroughs wishing him luck. He was glad none of his celebrity friends were tweeting about him being at Dalton, or even in Ohio. It was bound to come up sooner or later in the media and he wasn't looking forward to any attention about it.

Most of the tweets were about how much his fans liked Big Time and hoped he'd be in another movie soon, or about how sad they were that his character, Barry, was going to a monastery in Tibet for a year on 'Welcome to Mollywood'. Taping the footage to support that in flashbacks and cut scenes was some of the saddest time he had spent on the set. It was like he was being written off the show, instead of taking a break from it to straighten out his grades and become an adult in the eyes of the world.

He tweeted a brief response,  **Thanks for all the kind words. Looking forward to the future. Stay in school. That one was for me too. Love you all.**  Toby then turned back to purchasing his new game. About six minutes later he received a text from Trent.

 **So you need motivation to stay in school? Study damn it. I'd get mad if you up and left now.**

The thought brought a grin to his face and he chuckled before laying back onto his bed, laptop still whirring silently away while downloading. Leave it to Trent to have his twitter notifications turned on. He texted him back.

 **Yes, mom. I'll get right on it. Later.**

The door opened and Trent stormed into the room with a stern look on his face. He pointed at Toby and almost chuckled as he forced out, "Now, mister." Toby cracked up, and Jeff was left confused looking between them both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a typical weekday at Dalton Academy starts with the dining hall opening at 6:15 a.m. and closing at 7:45, presumably giving any students time to get to their first period class at 8 o'clock. This class lasts 90 minutes and then they have 10 minutes to get to their second period class. This is followed by a lunch period beginning at 11:10, right as class lets out and ending at noon. Third and fourth periods follow the same pattern with students having free time beginning at 3:10 pm as the last bell rings. The dining hall reopens at 5 and closes at 7. And on Sundays through Thursdays, curfew is 10pm. If you aren't in the building when the doors automatically lock, you get to meet with the headmistress. The curfew on weekends is one hour later, but it is rarely enforced as many of the students visit friends and family on the weekends. The doors still lock on time however.
> 
> Students, like Aaron, who work in the dining hall are only allowed to work during breakfast or dinner shifts during the week, with the majority of them working dinner so as not to interfere with their educations.
> 
> Feedback is appreciated!


	3. Business Before Pleasure

**Disclaimer** : Don't own Glee. This is not an attempt to do so.

* * *

October 1st, 2010

The first two weeks passed uneventfully for most of the boys. It seemed that watching Toby fumble through the halls the first few days had driven home that he was just like the rest of the student population. Anybody who had been walking on egg shells stopped doing so, and things began to settle down. The drama teacher did however summon Toby shortly before she was scheduled to announce the show that the Dalton Drama Club would be performing this year in January. He had disappeared for an hour and a half, and when he got back in time for dinner, both Trent and Jeff flanked him in line for food.

"So, what did Ms. Appleton have to say?" Jeff asked while grabbing a tray. Toby waited a few seconds before grabbing his own tray as Trent snuck in behind him.

Toby said, "She wanted me to help the Drama Club production out."

Trent guessed, "But you turned her down...," as he grabbed his own tray.

Toby shook his head and said, "Not exactly." He moved into the line and tried to play it off as if the entire thing was nothing.

After hearing that, Trent assailed Toby with rapid fire questions, "Okay, now you have to spill the news. Are you going to audition for a part? Are you going to direct? What did you agree to?"

Toby laughed and said, "I agreed to just help out. She wants to put on The History Boys and it's an ambitious stage production for a high school to attempt."

Jeff shrugged, "I haven't heard of it. Why's it so ambitious?"

Trent answered before Toby could reopen his mouth, "Because you need good actors to put on a production, plus it has adult themes. Are you auditioning for Timms?"

Toby put on a hurt face, "Are you insinuating that the role I would gravitate toward in The History Boys would be the one traditionally portrayed by an overweight comic actor?"

Trent explained himself, "I thought the role could use your natural humor. Are you auditioning for Dakin instead?" He used a hand to guide Toby and Jeff's eyes down his stocky frame, "I'm not much for stereotypes as you can see."

Toby said, "Well good, but I'm not auditioning for any role. Thank you very much."

Trent scoffed and turned away with a bitchy expression on his face, "No matter. It's already too late. Now I'll never look at whoever plays Timms as adequate."

Toby playfully shouldered into Trent and said, "You should audition for Timms then. Maybe you'll do better if you think you have room to constantly improve." the other boy looked up and laughed. "Maybe I will then," he said. They made their way through the line but almost caused a scene playfully trying to get the largest chicken breast or the shiniest apple. Finally they got out of the buffet lines and made it to a table.

Jeff asked the obvious question once they were actually sitting down, "So what are you going to be doing?"

Toby shrugged and just said, "Little things here and there. Helping the actors run lines, work on delivery, do blocking and so on when necessary. It's actually quite complicated, given the cultural differences. But, I made her promise not to rope me onto the stage."

Jeff said, "That's kind of odd. Are you trying to keep a low profile, or are you actually worried what others would think if you competed against them to get a role?"

Toby looked over and paused in cutting up his grilled chicken breast to try to explain. There was an inscrutable look on his face and he settled his gaze back down from the rafters to deliver a nod, "I think that everybody would assume I was putting on airs, but really I just don't want to be on a stage right now. I love to act, and hopefully always will, but this is sort of a break from my career. You know what I'm getting at?"

Trent waited for Jeff to speak, but the older boy just nodded his reply. He felt he had to move the conversation forward or the two of them might just get into a nodding contest. Trent asked, "So, what extracurricular are you going for then? Being Ms. Appleton's assistant doesn't really count."

Toby flashed a confused look to Trent and asked "I thought I had skimmed the student handbook pretty well. Are extracurriculars required here?"

Trent shook his head and responded, "No, they aren't required, but name one interesting high school student who doesn't have any hobbies or extracurricular activities."

It was obvious that the other boy was at a loss. He thought about it for a second and then gave up. "I can't. You're right. Even being a video game king is more interesting than doing nothing but school work and watching television."

Trent perked up, "Video games? Where are you hiding your console and do you have Rock Band 3?"

Jeff leaned forward holding up his right hand in the universal stop gesture. He spoke up before Trent could get too interested, "Sadly, no. He left his Xbox 360 at home so you can put your dreams of Rock Band stardom right back in the back of your head."

Toby pointed at Jeff using his left hand, with a comical look on his face and said, "Hey, hey, hey! I was trying not to show off. Now look where it's gotten me. A grouchy roommate and a disappointed best friend." Jeff laughed and Trent cracked a smile for a moment, then got a serious look on his face as he smiled weakly and asked, "I'm your best friend?"

Toby put his hand down and placed both hands on the table's edge as he looked at Trent. He smiled that easy smile of his, and sort of shyly explained while making eye contact with him, "Yeah, man! You make me laugh, you're a great guy to be around, and you've helped me out so much since I got here. I wouldn't know up from down if it wasn't for you."

Trent beamed at the praise and Jeff said, "Oh no, now he's gonna get a big head. Here comes Diva Trent!" Trent picked up his napkin, rapidly balled it up and threw it at Jeff's face. Toby dodged left the instant Trent drew his hand back, but Jeff was laughing and didn't see the incoming projectile immediately. He dodged to the right just in time and the improvised ball missed him by an inch and the thin Warbler began laughing again.

Trent wore an obviously faux look of despondence on his face. "You take that back," he said. Toby couldn't help but laugh loudly at his two friends as they carried on. "Oh, you two need to stop before you put me in stitches," Toby panted out, he slowly stopped laughing by avoiding eye contact with either of them for a few minutes.

At that time, one of the instructors had made his way over to their table. "Boys, I'd like to remind you that you are sharing this dining space with everyone else. I don't want to more forcibly remind you again." All three mumbled out their most sincere sounding "Yes, sir" responses, and then quietly burst into wheezing laughter once again. The instructor sighed and turned to walk away.

After the laughter had well and truly died down Trent turned to Jeff and asked, "So, how was your first full week? Liking the classes you picked last year?"

Jeff answered with a noncommittal look all over his face, "It's been alright. It's not like I wanted to take Historical Geography, but it might actually be enjoyable after all. It's not as boring as I expected it might be." He chewed on a bite of pork chop and turned to his left to fix his roommate with a glance. "What about you? Are you glad it's Friday or what?" he asked.

Toby coughed to clear his throat and said, "I think it's been a good week. But I have to say I feel kinda dumb since geometry started. Most everything else has actually been interesting, but I cannot wrap my brain around proofs."

Trent interjected, "Proofs aren't that hard to understand, it's understanding how to produce them that's hard." He cut his chicken breast into pieces while he talked, "I'll never get the idea of doing math using words and then getting mad when I get the right answer the wrong way. It's not like 2 + 2!"

Toby added his own comments, "Yeah, even word problems make more sense!"

Jeff interrupted and said, "Um, it's still math, fellas, it kinda is 2 + 2." Both Toby and Trent fixed him with glares and he held up his hands to concede the argument. "Fine, be wrong, and get bad grades. I was just trying to help!" Jeff claimed, and then returned to his own meal with a smile on his face. The others resumed eating and Trent emphatically nodded while eating a bite of chicken. He swallowed and said, "So, what are your plans for tomorrow?" The boys across from him looked uninspired, and Toby in fact just shrugged wordlessly. "I know. We can head to the Gap. I want to get some socks, a new belt, and maybe some cuff links."

Jeff begged off, waving his hands in front of him as he said, "I'm not going in that place voluntarily without someone twisting my arm. It's not like I'm gonna find a shirt or some pants I'm going to wear before summer."

Trent said, "Your loss. All the money we save on clothes we can spend on other things, and it is in a mall you know."

Jeff shrugged and stood up, having finished dinner. He leaned over and said, "I'm going to be busy tomorrow anyway, boys. I want to ask out this girl over at Crawford Country Day."

Toby smiled and said, "Good luck. Knock her socks off." Jeff nodded and walked away leaving the two boys in a slowly emptying area of the dining hall. Toby turned back to Trent and asked, "Do they have a large bookseller? I want to grab this fantasy novel I heard about last month."

Trent admitted, "It's in a mall called Polaris Fashion Place, but I'm pretty sure there is a Barnes & Noble inside.

Toby incredulously asked, "Polaris Fashion Place?"

Trent smirked, "I know, it sounds like it's just a bunch of Macy's and Sax Fifth Avenue type stores, but it's a mall. Trust me. We can eat at the food court and get back before dinner."

Toby nodded and responded, "Okay." Then he thought about it for a second and asked, "Hey, it doesn't take all afternoon to shop for clothes and a few books does it?"

Trent's smirk changed to a wide smile and he explained, "It's over in Columbus, but it's just a twenty-something minute drive. You'll love leaving Westerville, believe me. I want to leave every chance I get."

Toby said, "Oh, okay. So we leave here shortly after noon, and we don't come back until we get tired of Columbus."

Trent smiled and said, "Now you've got it. Want to do anything tonight?" as he stood up.

His friend responded as he picked up his own tray, "Sure, it's not like we're getting up early."

* * *

"Hey, Will. Want to go to breakfast after I get back from my run?" Tim asked his roommate. It was early in the morning and William really just wanted to go back to bed, but he had to take Aaron Neville out to relieve himself before there was an accident in their dorm room. He stood up and waved a hand as he heard Tim, with his deep voice, headed for the door. "Sure thing. Just let me take care of Aaron Neville and get a shower."

Tim chuckled and then William heard the door close, but not lock. William stood up and said, "Aaron Neville, come." and he then felt the familiar presence of his constant companion on his left side. He moved to his desk and retrieved the harness from where he put it last night and bending down to his dog he attached the harness. It was a task they had shared for years, from the moment he had been given Aaron Neville. So both of them were accustomed to it.

William then grabbed his key and a thick robe. The two of them headed down the hallway to the stairs and William was greeted several times by boys he both already knew and was getting to know. The halls were fairly empty right now, so he was easily able to distinguish voices from one another.

William made his way outside and the first thing that hit him was the change in aroma from wood and polish to pungent scents of plant life that were subdued only by the evaporating dew. He and his seeing eye dog left the walkway that stretched from the dorm building to the main school complex, including the classes, administrative offices, library and dining hall. He let go of the harness and said, "Aaron Neville, at ease." He then heard his dog run off towards the bushes. A few minutes later he heard him pad back up and begin licking his ankles. He reached down, and found the harness.

Since the dog was trained to resume duty immediately after his harness was picked up, he didn't have to tell him to heel. They made their way inside and back to the room. He fumbled with the lock only briefly, and went inside to get ready for a shower. He left Aaron Neville inside and used his cane to get to the bathroom. One of the newer students asked him if he wanted help, and William smiled.

"No thanks, I know where I'm headed," he responded. He heard one of the returning boys tell the first year that he should just keep offers like that to himself. William didn't mean to overhear them chastise him so thoroughly, but his hearing was phenomenal. William was constantly having to explain and prove himself to people. He had asked to be put in a room with Tim and had made it plain that he didn't care if it was on the first floor or not. So they hadn't insulted him and had put him in the general lottery like everybody else.

Once he was in the shower and felt the water run down his face and front, he thought about what he wanted to do today. Maybe he'd work on lyrics to the melody he came up with a few weeks ago. Then he heard the most amazing thing, one of the boys was singing in the shower. It was obvious that he had talent, and it took him a few minutes to identify him. Thad, one of the Warblers, was singing _Crying in the Rain_. William listened with rapt attention and got back to the room much later than he had originally intended. He petted Aaron Neville when he got back and not hearing Tim he asked, "Are you here, Tim?" When he heard nothing he locked the door and began to change. Today was turning out to be the start of a good day.

* * *

Trent groaned as he awoke. They had stayed up till the wee hours of the morning as Toby would say and the sunlight that streamed in his windows was suddenly stabbing needles into his eyes and the pain only subsided when he closed them again. "You're gonna mess up your circadian rhythm if you stay out late every weekend," Adam said. Trent looked over at his roommate, carefully shielding his face from the sun.

"Special occasion. First weekend of the school year," he said while snuggling back into his covers.

"And, weren't you going to do something right at noon? That's like in 30 minutes," he warned. Trent's eyes flashed open, and he sat straight up with a severe case of bed head, feverishly looking for his phone. When he finally grabbed it the time indicator that stared back at him like a traitor showed 11:28 a.m. He threw the covers off, landed in a jog and was dialing Toby before he was all the way out the door headed to the showers. Adam just looked on and silently chuckled to himself.

* * *

Toby stood there in a pair of jeans, the same tight pair he wore his first day in Ohio, and a t-shirt with an open flannel button down over that. His hair was messier than usual, which gave most of the students they passed the idea that he had a method to get his shaggy locks to behave a certain way every morning. "You didn't have to hurry, Trent. We could have taken the time to actually put our uniforms on," he said as they walked into the dining hall at 12:18.

Trent turned back to Toby and shook his head, with a serious look on his face. "I'm not willing to compromise quality time away from school grounds just for the purpose of looking good. Besides, this way all the girls who are going to stare at you won't be doing it just because we wear matching suits," he said. Trent had of course taken the time to do his hair, but it still wasn't as flawless as it normally was. He was wearing a t-shirt, and loose jeans with a dark navy hoodie over the top.

Toby smiled and followed him to the tray line. Trent said, "Eat healthy. There will be plenty of time for junk food when we get to the food court." So saying he headed directly towards the salad bar. Toby walked up and down the space between the islands before settling on another grilled chicken breast, a bowl of cereal and some toast. When he got to the table, Trent eyed his choices, and unspoken question on his lips and Toby explained, "I've got a thing. When I first wake up, I kind of have to eat something breakfasty first or I don't feel right all day. Drove the PAs mad when I had to work on night shoots for several days on Big Time." He began tucking into the bowl of cereal as Trent started on his own plate.

Trent latched onto that conversation gem and said, "That's interesting. So they change your entire schedule for something like that? I'd always heard that actors were in makeup before the crack of dawn."

"On a movie, sure. If you aren't filming at night, you're up early and on set as soon as daylight begins to peak out of the clouds. But if it's the opposite they ask you to go to bed during the day and you are getting up about two hours before dusk," he said. Trent seemed awed by his reply and they started to eat quicker, so they could be on their way. Toby added, "Well, for that movie anyway. Each director is different, and I haven't really done a lot of films."

"Hey, fellas. Mind if I join you?" a voice said from over Trent's shoulder. Jimmy sat down, before waiting for a clear yes or no answer. Both Trent and Toby could smell the cheeseburger on his plate and both of them shared a look, feeling somehow hungrier.

Trent spoke up, "Hi, Bart. We're trying to have a light meal before we head out to go shopping."

Jimmy smiled, "Gotcha. Well I won't be offended if you get up when you have to leave. So, are you headed up to Northgate Plaza?"

Toby answered him, "No, Trent's taking me to Columbus."

Jimmy popped a tater tot into his mouth while listening and then replied, "Ah, that explains the street clothes."

Toby said, "No, we just overslept is all." At which point Trent broke in, "It does take a considerable amount of time to don your blues and make yourself presentable."

A confused look passed over Toby's face and he looked Trent directly in the eyes as he asked, "Blues? I don't get it."

Jimmy laughed and then pointed at his jacket to illustrate, "Dalton Academy Blues. The uniform jacket, plus everything that goes with it."

Comprehension dawned on Toby's part and he laughed lightly. "Okay, I get it. So do you call the sweater vests Dalton Academy 'reds' or is blues the general term for the uniform?"

Trent and Jimmy looked at one another and shrugged. Finally Trent broke the silence and said, "I've always used blues to refer to the uniform, no matter what the variant, but Bart's been here since his first year. Have you heard anything different?"

Jimmy shook his head, "Hey, it's slang anyway. You can call the vests whatever you like."

At that, Toby just hunched his shoulders and started to finish his meal. "Nah. Nobody but you two would even know what I was talking about. I can't believe I've been here for two whole weeks and that just came up today," he said.

Jimmy smirked, "Hey, new boy. It happens." Jim looked at the two of them sitting there with empty plates and commented, "Weren't you two headed out soon?" Trent and Toby looked at each other's trays, and stood up in unison. Wes and Thad walked up and saw the two in street clothes. They stared a bit at Trent and Wes recovered his voice first, speaking just as the two began to leave.

"Trent, it's so unusual to see you in anything but your blues. We almost didn't recognize you," he said.

Trent turned and smiled at the end of the table, "We're just headed out. I overslept, and wanted to get a meal before the dining hall closes. Later, Bart. Fellas." Toby waved and the two of them headed for the bussing area to put their trays and utensils away.

Thad walks around to the other side of the table and asked Jimmy, "Mind if we join you?"

Jimmy beckoned them to sit as he chewed another bite of food.

* * *

William spent his early morning listening to an Agatha Christie novel, one of his Complete Collection of Christie CDs. But now that he had finished with lunch he turned his attentions to his computer and the music making program he had called up. He set it to automatically record and then turned to the keyboard which took up the majority of the free space on his side of the room. He banged the keys with confidence, stirring up a history of classical performance as well as improvisational jazz. He segued into each section of his piece, and the computer dutifully recorded it all. When he had stopped playing he turned back to the computer and hit the spacebar.

That was when he felt the tap on his shoulder. William took his headphones off, held them lightly in his hands and asked, "Yes?"

The mild voice of his roommate came to his ears, "I'm headed to town to buy some stuff. Want me to get anything for you while I'm out?"

William shook his head and said, "I've got everything we need right now. Thanks for asking though."

Tim said, "Okay. I just wanted to be sure." He paused for a moment and William wondered if he had something else on his mind. Tim didn't disappoint as he asked, "When am I going to get to hear some of your songs?"

"When I'm done and not before. I'm messing around right now, and trying to figure out whether I like the theme," he responded.

Tim smiled, "Okay, I can wait. I hear there will be some pickup games on the athletics court around three. Do you want to walk Aaron Neville when I get back?"

William said, "Sounds fun. Although I think sometimes you just want a shoulder to lean on when you head for the showers."

Tim laughed, "How do you know I just don't want to play with your dog?"

William smirked and replied, "Oh I know you want to do that. If it wasn't good exercise for him, I'd have stopped you last Saturday. I feel used."

Tim laughed heartily and William joined in until Tim said, "See you," and William put his headphones back on.

* * *

The two friends sped down the highway in Toby's leased Chevy Impala. The cruise control was on and Trent and he amused themselves by talking and alternately singing along to songs as they came on the sound system from Toby's iPod. They were currently singing along with _Bird and the Worm_ by The Used. At first, Toby took the lead as Trent spent the first few lines laughing. Eventually Trent took the lead line and Toby smoothly moved to backup. They screamed the breakdown together and Toby picked up the lead.

Then they sang the chorus in unison until the last third of the song where Toby switched to singing the harmony. At the end of the song, they burst into laughter and the next song to come on was _Watch This_ by Slash. Trent reached over and turned the volume down slightly and asked Toby, "So, if this is your temporary car, what do you drive back in California?"

Toby said, "I have a bright blue, hybrid Toyota Highlander. It actually gets decent gas mileage."

Trent gasped, "I thought you'd say an Escalade; well to be honest I thought you'd say some kind of sports car, but definitely not a family vehicle."

Toby shrugged, "Why? I live with my parents in a medium-sized house that we're slowly buying from the studio. If you think I have money for more than one car, you are overestimating my importance by a big margin."

Trent smiled, "There are too many layers to you, Toby. I think I'll never see them all." After a minute he amended, "That's a good thing, by the way." Toby just chuckled in response. The instrumental faded to the solo guitar intro of Miley Cyrus' _Party In the USA_. Trent was shocked and his mouth dropped open for a half a second before he said, "This is my song!"

Toby smirked as he changed lanes, "Really?" But Trent was already turning it up and singing along.

"I Hopped off the Plane at LAX, With a Dream and My Cardigan. Welcome to the Land of Fame Excess, Am I Gonna Fit In?"

After the first verse Trent imagined he was riding shotgun in Toby's SUV and singing with the windows down as they drove through traffic on a Hollywood boulevard. Then the scene changed to Toby and him striding down the street, both of them dressed like models, wearing reflective sunglasses, as Trent sang. People on the street parted for them and when they got to the second chorus, Trent and Toby burst into dance throwing their hands up. The bystanders dropped behind the pair to mimic them.

The music video in Trent's head shifted them back to riding down the road in Toby's SUV, but transitioned to the two of them standing on a stage performing in front of a sold out crowd as the chorus came back. Toby was doing a goofy dance and almost made Trent laugh in mid-phrase. The backup dancers were all members of the Warblers: Jeff, David, Nick and Adam. The fever built with the refrain and then Trent opened his eyes as he and Toby sang the last lines together, in the impala, "Yea-ah, It's a Party In the USA."

The song started to fade and Toby commented on the artist, "She's a sweetheart you know." Trent looked over and pushed the pause button on the iPod. "You know Miley Cyrus?" he asked.

Toby answered, "Know is too strong a word, but we've hung out before."

Trent stared at Toby and his friend just looked at him, causing him to crack up again. He recovered himself to get his bearings and he pointed, "Well, we're almost there, take the upcoming off-ramp and bear right." He looked at Toby's iPod as they began to make the turn, "You know you can make playlists too, right? You don't have to leave it on shuffle."

Toby said, "Shuffle? That's my driving playlist," as he maneuvered the car to a stop waiting to make the right turn.

Trent smirked and said, "Toby, your taste in music is good, but..."

Toby turned to his friend and offered, "Eclectic?"

Trent shook his head, said, "Weird." and then began to laugh again. Toby caught himself laughing and instead put a fake expression of deep hurt on his face as he pulled out into traffic. Trent laughed harder seeing Toby's face and finally Toby cracked a smile.

* * *

Tim broke away from the other boys and ran the basketball towards the goal. He ducked towards his left side to make Carey lunge. With his tall blocker thrown off guard, Tim leaped into the air to make a jump shot, and the ball arced up, higher and higher. Everyone looked towards the goal as the ball started to descend, and Tim descended to his knees and howled as the ball crashed against the rim and the backboard to bounce off into nowhere.

Chris, one of the regulars on the intramural team walked over and clapped him on the shoulders. "Good try, Tim. You've got great moves, but maybe we should practice your shooting," he said.

Tim shook his head and said, "I thought this would get easier. I've been running track so long, I figured nobody could catch me."

Carey walked up and offered him a hand, "Well, next time get a partner who's great at shooting. Oh and before I forget, that is the last time you're gonna charge my spot, Timmy."

Tim got back in place and said, "We'll see about that!" They were about to resume when everyone heard William calling from the sidelines. Tim held his hands up in the universal symbol for time out and ran over to his roommate. "What's up?" William just held out his hand, with Tim's phone in it.

"You got a call," he explained. Tim wiped his hand on his shorts and picked up his phone. He unlocked it and checked the call log. Great, he thought before turning towards the other guys.

"You had better go on without me, I have to return a call," Tim said, pointing to his cell phone. He then stepped off the athletic court and pressed the call button.

"Yeah, mom?" he asked as the call connected. Tim began to pace as listened to the opening greeting and waited for his mother to get to the point. She spent a few minutes preparing him for something or other and he just got impatient. "Mom, what's going on? You called me when I was playing basketball, and daylight is rapidly dimming," he said.

He listened further and then was floored to hear the news. "So, they're moving in this coming weekend? That's great news. Of course I'll come home," he said into the cell phone. He listened again and responded, "Yeah, I love you too." He hit the disconnect button and walked back to the bench William was sitting on. William had been very patient, just sitting in the afternoon sun for almost an hour now while the other boys played several games of 5-on-5 basketball, or presently 4-on-4, with Carey sitting out while they waited for Tim to return.

Tim turned to William and said, "I'm headed home next weekend. My grandparents bought the house up the block from my house."

William smiled and said, "Sounds good, although it also sounds like a lot of work."

"Yeah, it will be, but it'll be worth it. Homemade chocolate chip cookies to bring back to school are always worth it," he responded.

William laughed, "Do they need someone to taste test the batter? I'm afraid that's all the help I could offer."

Tim laughed as well as he got to his feet, and handed the phone back to William. "We'd never put you to work at my house. You're a guest. You're welcome to come by the way. My little sister loved meeting Aaron Neville when I moved in," he offered.

William said, "I'm just joking. I'll go some other time when you're not moving furniture." Tim nodded and then headed back to the game.

* * *

Adam looked up from his novel as the door unlocked and Trent pushed it open. He walked inside carrying a pair of bags while looking back into the hall. "Sorry we didn't get back before the dining hall closed, but Breadstix is pretty nice for a chain," he said. He beckoned someone inside and as he cleared the doorway and their closets he saw that it was Toby. Adam sat up and put the book aside to say "Hey, fellas. Have a good day?"

Toby was carrying a small plastic bag and beaming from ear to ear, and he nodded before replying, "Yeah, it never gets tiresome to just hang out somewhere new. Plus dinner was kind of... I dunno special?"

Trent smirked and held up a pair of argyle socks with green highlights and said, "Aren't these wonderful? The main color matches my eyes."

Adam chuckled, "Anything to look stunning without looking like you're trying to look stunning, eh?"

Toby said, "You should have seen the scarf he found, or the sweater."

Trent smirked and put down his acquisition. Turning to Toby he said, "Don't mind Adam, Toby. He'd be more comfortable in jeans and a ratty t-shirt. Speaking of which, why are you wearing your uniform? It's Saturday. I've never seen you anything but casual on a weekend if we weren't at a competition."

Adam responded, "There was a surprise mixer over at our sister school. It was pretty restrictive as far as where we could go, but it was fun just to get out."

Trent rolled his eyes and sarcastically said, "It must be one amazing party if you're back here already."

Adam laughed in an easy way and said, "Their curfew for boys on the grounds was pushed up to 7:30 p.m. today. I guess they were worried some of their ladies might disappear into the bushes with some guests if they didn't shut things down shortly after sundown."

Toby looked shocked, "Wow, they don't trust males to be anything approaching decent, huh?"

Trent said, "Oh it's worse than that. Most of the girls don't trust any boys as far as they can throw them, but the teachers at Crawford Country Day are paid to be paranoid of their charges. Despite the fact that half the population of that school have trust funds and untraceable credit cards."

Toby asked, "Wouldn't that mean they'd be even more likely to keep tabs on them?"

Adam answered him, "Nah, those are the ones most likely to have a car, and the desire to rent a hotel room for a few hours. You being who you are, you probably want to avoid it altogether."

Trent gave Toby a horrified look, "He's not kidding. They might assault you."

Toby looked suitably frightened and tried to find something to comment on to change the subject. His eyes fell on the novel Adam had been reading. "Wow, that's the book I just bought, 'The Name of the Wind'. What do you think so far?"

Adam stood up, his hair waving a bit with the motion, and he took a step forward. Looking down to make eye contact with Toby due to the height difference, he looked interested in giving an in-depth review until Trent coughed into his hand. He smiled and said, "I like it a lot. Haven't put it down since I started reading it on Tuesday, in-between assigned reading."

Toby looked like he wanted to have the book discussion, but given that he hadn't read the book yet, he thought better of it until they were both done. "Great. I can't wait to start it myself. Maybe we can chat about it afterwards."

He looked over at Trent and said, "Well I'm gonna go head back and get reading. I'm headed to the Chapel in the morning if you want to come. I missed the service the last few Sundays, and I kind of want to give it a try."

Trent waved him off, "No thanks. I know our Chapel is non-denominational, but I was raised Catholic and I'm not yet over being abandoned by the Church."

Toby said, "Ok, then I'll see you at breakfast afterwards. Night, Trent. Adam." He stepped out into the hall and politely closed the door behind him. Trent went over to his bed and sat down to start taking stickers and tags off of his purchases.

Adam peered over at Trent who was in a really good mood. "I didn't know you felt betrayed by your faith. Was it a big part of your life?"

Trent stopped and held the socks in his lap as he responded, "I was an altar boy, and before that I was in the boy's soprano choir. I felt like Jesus was my best friend and my priest was an uncle I saw regularly enough."

"Something happened at your church," Adam asked, knowing that it might be too personal to answer if something had happened.

Trent nodded slowly, and then gathered his breath before saying, "Once I outed myself by innocently asking Jonathan to be my boyfriend, Father Douglas didn't want to see me, or hear my voice, or speak to me." Trent stopped and sighed, trying to find the words to explain. "I am from such a small town that nobody got the homosexual equals bad talk until you were a pre-teen. It wasn't in church sermons, it wasn't discussed at all really, as if they expected gay people don't exist or that everybody just knew their prejudice," he said.

Adam turned his entire body to face Trent so that he could show his appreciation for what his roommate was sharing with him, "So, you're ten and you like this Jonathan guy as more than someone to hunt tadpoles with? So you naturally ask him out, and everything comes crashing down."

He paused and looked Adam in the eyes, tears forming in the corners as he said, "The parishioners who didn't ignore me, hissed at me, and my parents were ostracized. Even when I started staying home, even on Easter and Christmas, the whole town talked about the McAdamses behind our backs. It's the main reason I will never spend any time in that small town ever again if I have anything to say about it."

Adam said very softly but warmly, "I'm sorry, man. How do I say this the right way?" He paused and then continued, "It sucks that people mistreated you. They weren't very Christian. But religion should be about your spirituality, your connection to your faith. If you felt that strongly about Jesus you shouldn't let those people take that away from you." Trent smiled slightly as Adam spoke, and just nodded again. Adam smiled as he said, "My grandma always said, 'God isn't found in church, he's found in your heart.'"

Trent smiled and looked down at his hands as he said, "Thanks, Adam. I guess I did let them get to me. Maybe I'll go after all. Of course I might break down and cry right as I see the door of the chapel too."

Adam stifled a laugh and said, "Take your time. It's about you, dude."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is part 1 of a two part episode. Don't know if I want to post them together or as normal chapters.


	4. Boys Will Be Boys, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everybody's making plans for the weekend. Jeff is making special plans.

**Disclaimer** : Other people own Glee, I just want to play in the sandbox, and I'm leaving the borrowed toys behind when I leave.

* * *

October 7th, 2010

It had been a fairly normal second week of school when William walked to the second session of Literature and noticed something was odd with Aaron Neville, his seeing eye dog. He was antsy, but he remained where he should. It had been a slower morning for William, so most of the boys were already in their seats. William let Aaron Neville guide him to his seat and sat down.

"So, I don't know what the protocol is, but I bought a bag of treats the last time I was out," he heard. Food would explain the general excitement he had felt from the dog earlier. Thinking back to it, it was someone he was sure he didn't know personally, but then he remembered the voice from discussion last week.

"James, right?" There was a moment of relative silence where he thought he must have nodded assent at first. An embarrassed sounding, "Yes, though I prefer Jimmy" came shortly afterwards.

"Well, that was a nice gesture, but I am pretty sparing with treats for Aaron Neville." He reached down to slowly pet the top of the dog's head, but didn't overdo it. "He's a working dog, and if I treat him too much like a pet, it could make him forget he has a job to do," he said.

William felt his hand as the other boy grasped it and pressed something into his palm, "Well, he's doing a great job. He got you here,"

William smiled and said, "That he did. Okay, I guess one treat won't spoil things," as he reached down to feed the treat to his prized companion. He petted him one more time before starting to unpack his books and laptop for taking notes on. He heard someone hurriedly enter the room and thought surely the instructor wouldn't be in such a hurry. The labored breathing confirmed it as the newcomer sat down within the rows of seats.

"Hey, Toby. Why are you so out of breath. You've cut it fine today too," he heard Jimmy ask him.

The other boy, whose voice had an easy uncomplicated quality to it, answered, "Trent and I were chatting at breakfast and I forgot that I had left Frankenstein back at my room. Then when I got there, I had to search for it." The boys heard the solitary ring of the school bell and Mrs. Partridge walked into the room and closed the door in one fluid motion.

"Good morning, boys. I hope you finished reading the second third of the book, as we are going to talk about trial justice in the time of the story and how once accused, Justine, as a woman, was unlikely to be exonerated," she said.

* * *

Toby thought about the fact that It hadn't taken long for his roommate, Jeff, and their friend Trent to fall into a routine of eating lunch with him every day. Toby was good friends with Jimmy, or Bart as everyone else called him, and Trent and Jeff tended to hang out with the other established Warblers at other times, but during lunch It was often this trio who met, and often their other friends rarely sat in with them. He was about to bring that up as a question when Jeff's phone buzzed at him. Jeff pulled out his phone as Trent trailed off from the conversation he had been engaging in. Toby looked over intently as well, when Jeff let out an excited, "Yes!"

Trent was the first to respond, "Oh, now you have got to give up the details. What's up?"

Toby leaned closer as Jeff put his phone away, trying for nonchalance, but the thinner boy's grin was too wide and too unyielding to fit with that description. He calmed and looked from one to the other before saying, "You are looking at someone who has a date with an eligible young bachelorette of Country Day Academy on Saturday afternoon."

Toby looked incredulous but obviously interested as he said, "No way. Adriana said yes?" To this Trent, who was plainly feeling out of the loop asked, "Who's Adriana?"

Jeff answered him, "Adriana is in our year, and is one of the nicest, kindest, most beautiful girls I've ever seen." He was leaning back in his chair and had begun to space out when one of the boys a table over chimed in, "Then get a room already, you lovesick canary." Several of the boys around them laughed at that, and Jeff blushed. Toby was overcome with mirth at the dig, as he really liked Jeff, but he also found it hilarious that everybody seemed to know all about his romantic hopes and was both egging him on and giving him grief about it at the same time.

Trent stifled a chuckle and said, "Well, I hope you two have a great time. But I know you. How are you going to sleep for the next two nights?"

Jeff looked somewhat startled, "Um... warm milk? Oh who am I kidding, I'm gonna be too excited to sleep like a log, and two exhausted to function in class."

Trent laughed out loud and reached for his glass of water, "Toby, you might as well make your comforter into a sleeping bag and camp out in my room. He'll be pacing by 2 a.m." Toby began to laugh but when neither Jeff nor Trent joined in he looked from Trent to Jeff expecting an explanation. Jeff sheepishly shrugged and Toby looked downright saddened, "Oh boy."

Trent finally cracked a smile and looking at Toby said, "I'm kidding, by the way."

Toby perked up and asked, "Really?"

Trent nodded sagely and said, "You can't stay in my room. It's against dormitory rules, and if we get caught the usual punishment is helping with janitorial duties." Toby's smile faded to a neutral line and Trent offered, "The floor lounge should be free though," as a consolation.

Jeff tried to put a good face on it and clapped Toby on the back, "Maybe I'll go get some sleep aid pills from the drug store. It might help."

Toby picked up his fork and poked at the salad he had half-consumed, "I really need to find time to finish reading the handbook."

* * *

Blaine had begun the day trying to be chipper, greeting everybody he knew by name as he strolled the halls, but it was all underneath a shadow. Wes had caught his ear at breakfast, but had wanted to talk to him more about Kurt, the boy from McKinley High they had entertained on Monday. He had advised Kurt to stand up for himself, to try and educate this other boy. When Blaine had received a call two days later from Kurt about the bully forcing a kiss on him of all things he knew events were moving quickly, and not in the best direction. He had immediately ditched classes this morning and headed down the road to Lima.

He had connected with Kurt in a way unlike most young guys he knew. Blaine also desperately wanted to help him move through the trouble at his high school. It felt like the perfect chance to make up for his own failure to stand up for himself two years ago. If his own experience could help Kurt out in any way, even a single moment of courage that broke the tide of abuse before it got truly out of hand, then it was worth all the miles and time away from school work.

However, when he had tried to offer a hand in friendship to this bully, Karofsky, he had been slammed against a wall made of fencing, and that had ended that. The intervention had gone horribly, and now he was unsure of what was in store for his new friend. Blaine had tried to make him feel better by taking him out for lunch, but he knew only too well that until the bully stopped the abuse, Kurt wouldn't feel secure, safe, or even human.

Blaine felt guilty. If he hadn't shown up today, the bully might not have reacted so violently. Maybe he'd accept himself and stop projecting his self-hate onto Kurt. Well, hate and other emotions. Blaine shook his head as he thought about the thin line between love and hate, and how this athlete was riding the line. If he looked at things objectively, if he really stood back from how it had made his friend feel, he could see the unwanted attention as a form of juvenile flirting, with vicious dark overtones.

Normally the only time during the day that Blaine could have spoken to Wes would have been during meal time, and with third and part of fourth period being consumed with his trip back to Dalton, he knew he would be getting off lightly if the instructors didn't discipline him harshly for interrupting class. He checked his phone for the time, and saw that it was already 3 o'clock. That was it then, he headed for the Warblers' practice room. He knew Wes would be headed there for practice shortly, and maybe they could speak privately before practice.

* * *

Trent stepped into the room with Jeff and they had picked up the thread from earlier. "Oh, I suggest you get maximum strength over the counter sleeping pills. You were antsy for a week last year when that girl slipped you her phone number after regionals."

Jeff nodded and said, "Yeah, but I had a room to myself that time last year, so I didn't keep anybody else up all night."

Trent said, "You better not torment my friend now. I know we joked about him bunking in the lounge, but you better go take the communal couch if it comes down to it."

Blaine slipped in behind them and put an arm on each of their shoulders as he asked, "Trouble in paradise, fellas? Who's roommate is causing the 'couch debate'?"

Jeff raised his hand and said, "That'd be mine."

Blaine looked for an explanation from both of them and said, "Wow. Do you need some of us to run interference or mediate?"

Jeff chuckled and waved his concerns off, "Nah, it's not like a fight. I have a bad habit when I'm wound up, and it potentially could drive Toby crazy."

Trent smirked and said, "Hey, if Toby makes it through the next two days without complaining about you once, he's a saint."

Blaine's face was somewhat unreadable, and he turned to Trent with a smile and asked, "You know, I've never thought you two had much in common. Why do you spend so much time with him? Jeff's his roommate, I get why he's always around him. It's not because you have a celebrity crush is it?"

Trent looked as if he had been caught off guard. He paused for a moment and gathered his thoughts before trying to vocalize his friendship with Toby, "He's funny, and kind, and willing to do just about anything for a friend. And I just click with him, his personality and mine go together well."

Blaine pressed, "But what do you do together? Do you have any hobbies in common? Is he musically inclined?"

Jeff offered, "Well, I don't think their hobbies coincide that much, except watching movies and listening to music."

Trent said, "Well, it's not like I'm obsessed with fashion magazines, and he's obsessed with team sports. We both listen to a lot of the same music, although he prefers more metal and country than I do."

Blaine nodded sagely, seemingly trying to downplay his words as he said, "Okay, so it's hard to explain."

Trent gave him a sheepish grin as he admitted, "It's not difficult to explain. I just don't seem to be good at speaking today."

Carey nearby heard those words drop from Trent's mouth and he gasped, "Oh, no. Our resident wit is losing his gift for gab." There was silence for a few moments, then everybody shared a full laugh about that. Trent laughed so hard that the corners of his eyes began to tear up.

Wes stepped forward and said, "Okay, calm down. We're going to get started."

Carey piped up one more time, "Finally. I've got dishes to do tonight. I need some good vibes to fortify myself." Everyone laughed again, but it died down and the Warblers got to business.

* * *

William moved through the halls with Aaron Neville, pausing as he heard something. He followed the sound and as he got close enough he could make it out as the Warblers singing. It must be another practice. He hadn't gotten to the inside of the room on Monday when they had performed Katy Perry's hit single, but he heard it just fine from where he was able to get to. Blaine's voice was absolutely wonderful, and the Warblers in general possessed a silky sound that was very hard to ignore.

He made out _Cooler Than Me_ as he reached the hallway leading to the Warblers' practice room. He let his companion guide him to a bench, and he sat down. He wasn't sure he was alone of course, because the sound of singing covered the ambient sounds in the room, but William was unconcerned. They started over twice that he was able to hear, but now it started to come together. He heard Carey and Adam sounding interconnected beats with their mouths and the others melded into a mellow sound behind Blaine singing the lead.

It may have been an hour that they worked on that and another song. When the door finally opened to disgorge the troupe of boys to dinnertime activities, Aaron Neville whined. It signified that he wanted a bathroom break, and William stood up to take him outside. One of the Warblers moved up to him and said, "Hey, William. Nice to see you again." William smiled as he recognized Blaine's voice.

"Hi Blaine, I've got to take Aaron Neville outside briefly. I got lost in time and he has been more than patient," he responded. Blaine swooped in beside him and kept pace.

"I'll walk with you if you don't mind. So that's his name huh? Do you name everything you care about after favorite singers?"

William walked towards the nearest exit and smiled as he asked, "Worried that one day I'll have a computer named Blaine Anderson?" This threw Blaine for a loop, but it tickled his sense of humor too. He laughed, not too long or too loud, but it was heartfelt. William could easily tell.

"I think I needed that. Today was not my best day," Blaine said as they reached the door. He held the door open and William was guided through it by the dog. They walked along the path to the grounds, and Blaine could see row after row of vehicles parked in a lot across the way.

William braved the silence in the chill night breeze and asked, "What went wrong, if you don't mind my asking?" They paused near a bench that William knew well, he stopped sat down and gave Aaron Neville the signal he needed to bolt off into the brush.

Blaine sat down beside him and seemed to sigh before leaning back into the bench and saying, "It's my new friend, Kurt; I've given him advice and tried to support him with a bullying problem. I spent most of today on the way to, at or on the way back from Lima, and in the end, the bully was not receptive to the idea of reconciliation."

William nodded sagely and said, "Oh I know what that's like. People say I'm a good listener, and that I am wise beyond my years, but I've given out advice that was the wrong thing for the situation before." He paused briefly before taking a deep breath and continuing, "It's no mysterious gift though. Mostly I just listen to what they really want to do when they describe their options, then try to find a way to convince them to do what they have their heart set on."

Blaine said, "So you believe the idea that the first choice, or in some cases, the most passionate choice, is often the best one."

William shrugged as he heard his companion return from the bushes after taking care of his needs and frolicking some, "No, but if I don't have any experience with the situation, I trust the person's judgement on most matters, even if they don't have the confidence to trust themselves."

William clasped Aaron Neville's harness, stood up and looked in Blaine's direction saying, "Of course, I reserve advising people to leap of off cliffs until they've been a lead soloist for at least six weeks." The warm smile that covered his face shortly thereafter caused Blaine to chuckle as he himself stood up.

William said, "I've heard it all before, and never doubt that just being someone's friend is enough." He began walking back to the school side door and he heard Blaine following him. "Don't worry if the ignorant brute doesn't want to shake your hand, or keeps messing with your friend. You aren't responsible for his actions."

Blaine asked, "But what do I do when I've made things worse? This bully, Karofsky, was about to get physical with me, and is really angry about the situation." Blaine and William walked in silence for a minute before Blaine continued. "I think my being there really did make things worse," he stated. William looked in his direction as they neared the door, "All you can do is be there for your friend," he stated as he grasped for the door handle, and opened the way into the school's main building. He held the door open until Blaine moved inside ahead of him.

"You know, you need to take time for yourself too, or you'll spiral into a mood that Kurt will pick up on. It won't do him any good," William said. Blaine walked along with him and thought for a minute, he looked in William's direction and asked, "Did you have something in mind?"

William smiled and said, "Why don't we go out somewhere you feel comfortable talking about this at length. That way you can get it out of your system and recharge." Blaine thought about it, and said "That sounds like a good idea, but I can't seem to relax about this issue, and you probably don't want to hear all of it." William kept walking beside his furry companion as he led the way to the dining hall and only responded, "Like I said, I'm a good listener."

* * *

Aaron made his way to the bussing station and picked up a container full of dirty dishes. He was sweating, but that was only because the kitchen and the high powered dishwasher located in the back filled the air with a ton of steam. He dodged a handful of students and several student workers bearing trays of food for the buffet as he walked up to and leaned against the swinging door that led inside. The blast of hot, moist air steamed up his glasses once again and he paused for a moment.

As soon as he could see once more, he turned the corner and deposited the container on the metal countertop. Actually, every surface inside the kitchen was shiny, stainless steel and given the need to cook for upwards of 300 people per meal time, there were a lot of surfaces. Carey looked up from his position near the dishwasher at the pre-washing station and said "Thanks, Aaron. The current batch is almost done, so with this, it'll be load number twelve."

Aaron looked at the containers full of dishes that he had already sluiced down with the water gun attached to the sink. There were two industrial strength dishwashing machines there, and he estimated there were fifteen or so plates, glasses galore and utensils to match waiting to go inside. He wiped his brow with his forearm and said, "I think there's two more containers out there. I'll grab them in a minute." Carey nodded and casually began rinsing the first of the new arrivals.

"Hey, are you gonna go to see the Buckeyes play this season? They have a few home games before homecoming. One's this Saturday," Carey asked.

Aaron shook his head. "I don't obsess over sports, you know that. I'm gonna save up and buy a Nintendo this year." Carey looked up and shut off the gun to converse with less difficulty. "Come on man, this year they are gonna win big," he said. This just led Aaron to point out, "With current ticket prices plus food and gas money, I could get a DS if I skipped only five outings."

Carey pointed out, "That's the rest of the season, and those Nintendos don't come with games." Aaron walked back to the main hall. He quipped over his shoulder while wearing a grin, "Whatever. You're just looking for someone to split gas and food costs with." Carey nodded and chuckled to himself before resuming his work.

* * *

Jeff had tried sleeping pills, and warm milk, but he never quite fell asleep. He tossed and turned for hours, and when he finally fell asleep it was only for a few hours before he awoke and couldn't get back to sleep. Jeff had tried being quiet as he sat up, and climbed out of bed. However, when he powered on his computer, having forgotten it would make a loud chiming noise, Toby (who had just gotten to the top of a mountain in his dream) was jolted awake. He turned over, saw the computer and wordlessly stood up, grabbed his pillow and comforter and trudged out the door.

* * *

Toby had strange dreams the rest of the night, including a dream where the writers on the TV show thought it would be hilarious if he used a cream pie like a washcloth and rubbed it all over his face. He stirred awake and let out a short, startled sound to see a canine face directly in front of his and he closed his eyes, and rolled so he lay on his back. He wiped his face with his right hand and felt the wetness that was undoubtedly from William's dog licking him awake.

Opening his eyes he saw William standing over him. "Good morning, whoever you are," he said, standing straight up and facing the couch. "Hope you don't mind the wake up call."

Toby managed to say, "Morning, William," but before he could identify himself, William said, "Oh, Toby. What happened?" William was fully clothed, but he wasn't wearing his uniform. Toby asked in a tone that perfectly expressed the tired feeling that filled his body right now, "What time is it?" William responded, "It's almost 6." Toby grunted and made to sit up and roll off the couch. William heard him and moved back to make space, pulling Aaron Neville with him. He said, "Thanks. Jeff was keeping me up, but I guess I better go get ready."

Toby headed out to the hallway and William couldn't help but smile to himself. He turned and headed towards his own room after taking Aaron Neville for a walk. Toby knocked on his own door when he discovered the door was locked, and was greeted with a smiling grin by Jeff wearing his uniform. "Sorry," was all he heard as he was given the space required to shuffle past. Toby looked like he wanted to say something, but he just dropped his pillow and comforter on his bed and began looking around for his toiletries. Jeff practically tiptoed out of the room with his book bag leaving Toby to his morning ritual.

* * *

Carey was in rare spirits today as he tied his tie and headed to the dining hall. He even began whistling a wordless tune as he walked down the hall, waving at some of his friends as everybody was finally moving at Dalton. After navigating the buffet lines he headed to the impromptu Warblers table and sat down next to Wes and Nick. "Good morning, fellas!" he said.

His friends smiled at him, and responded to his greetings. Things seemed to settle right down, with many of those present returning to their previous topics of conversation. Carey could't wait for long before asking, "So, who's up for seeing the Buckeyes squash the Hoosiers tomorrow?"

Several of the other boys groaned, but Adam smiled, "So a noon home game, huh? I guess you want to leave around 10, so we can get there in plenty of time to grab lunch first before kickoff?"

Carey nodded as he tucked into his plate, "You bet. And dinner on the way back, you know my plans so well."

Adam nodded and then Carey looked around the table, "Anybody else?"

David and Jeff said, "I'm busy," almost simultaneously, which caused the rest to laugh.

Carey looked to his left and eyed Nick, "You heading home this weekend?" To which Nick shook his head and Carey then amended, "Alright, then you can go. It'll be great, man."

Nick rolled his eyes and said, "With just the three of us? Forget it unless you can make it a proper outing."

At that Toby Armstrong walked by. Most of them could smell the strong coffee on his tray and Carey smiled. He turned and said, "Hey, Toby. What do you say we head out tomorrow to Columbus for a Buckeyes game?"

The older teen stopped when he heard his name, and he turned toward Carey, staring slightly in a distracted manner. He shrugged and said, "Ok?" Seeing an empty seat to the table to his right he just sat down and began eating.

Carey looked at Toby's back and just asked, "Rough night?" Toby nodded absent-mindedly and Jeff spoke up, "My fault." Carey looked confused but turned back to Nick, "Anyway, that's four of us and a full car for the trip."

Trent and Blaine walked up to the table, looking around the nearby area for open chairs. Thad leaned in to Jeff's side and asked, "So if you're the one who couldn't sleep last night, why's your roommate zombified?"

Jeff said, "It's a secret?" while using a spoon to play with his bowl of granola and yogurt. Trent chuckled and said, "Secret my ass. He fidgeted all night. Probably drove Toby mad." He didn't see any seats available at either table, so he walked away to find a classmate to sit with. Blaine however had the good fortune to acquire Thad's seat, as the elder Warbler picked up his tray.

Jeff tried to explain, "I'm just really excited for this date with Adriana tomorrow."

Carey smirked and said, "I'd say you should bring her, but I'll bet it's a first date so maybe next time? Way to go, buddy, by the way." Jeff smiled and Carey accepted that as his answer. He turned back to his own plate and said, "I'm so excited. This is going to be one memorable trip!"

* * *

"How are you doing? You looked dead this morning and you've got a mug of coffee, and it's just closing on 11:30 in the morning," Jim said as he sat down next to Toby.

"I'm okay, I'm just tired. I didn't get much sleep last night, and I was awakened by dog kisses," he responded. Toby had a look about him that said he was determined to get through the day, but it looked like a nap was in his immediate future, since Jim knew he didn't have a fourth period class on Fridays.

"Okay. So do you have any plans for the weekend? Going out shopping or making up for lost sleep?" he asked in a good-naturedly way.

"Uh, one of the Warblers has organized a trip to the OSU football game. I think his name is Carson?" Toby stopped and looked lost in thought, "Gary? We don't have any classes together so I don't think we've been introduced."

Jim asked, "Tall, with light brown hair? Usually beat boxes in the background during performances?" Toby thought about it for a moment and then nodded. "Well that's Carey Johnson. Big sports fan. I'm not surprised he'd organize a trip," he explained.

Toby took another drink from his mug and then double-palmed the ceramic as he looked across the table and said, "He seems like a nice guy. I was a bit too exhausted to engage in any conversation this morning." Jim smiled and nodded, "All of the Warblers I know are nice guys, unless they are working on a performance. Perfectionists can be snippy."

Toby finally got around to what he guessed was the true thrust of the original question. "Hey, were you planning on doing something tomorrow? I don't have to go to the game, or you could come with us," he offered. He really wanted to spend more time with Jim. They had great talks about video games, and their general likes and dislikes, but the only time they had to talk really was in snippets before Chemistry class and during meal times. It always seemed like Jim bowed out if Toby was already hanging out with Trent, and he didn't really know why he hadn't come along on more trips with him and his best friend.

Jim waved a hand in a gesture of begging off before responding, "No thanks. I'm really not into sports. Just wondered if you wanted to go see a movie or something." He paused briefly and then continued, "I honestly figured you already had plans, I just didn't think they'd be with Carey." Now Toby was intrigued, and he wanted to know Jim's mind.

"You know, Trent wouldn't mind if you hung out with us outside of meal time. Believe it or not all of us do share interests, like going to the movies," he said. He let that sink in a bit before continuing, "Just because Trent likes reading celebrity blogs doesn't mean that's all we do besides go shopping."

Jim looked horrified and hurried to explain himself, "I like Trent just fine, and have nothing against what he likes or doesn't like. I just felt like a fifth wheel coming between you two. Seriously, I'm not a jerk or anything." Toby wondered at the fifth wheel comment, but he'd been called 'two peas in a pod' and 'platonic soul mates' before by people observing his relationships. Maybe it just seemed to others that he was super-exclusive with his friends. "Okay. I was just checking, cause I like both of you, but I'm not the kind of guy who likes having to choose who to hang out with," Toby responded.

"So what movie? Did you see a trailer on TV for something cool?" he asked Jim. The other boy said, "'The Social Network' just came out last week, and since it's not super exciting or a horror film it's probably going to leave soon."

Toby asked, "The Facebook movie? Ok, when do you want to go? I honestly haven't heard much about it."

Jim said, "I saw it mentioned online and then watched the trailer on AOL's webpage. We can go after 8, you'll be back from Columbus by then, or we could just plan to go on Sunday instead."

Toby smiled and said, "Sounds like a plan. So what types of movies and TV shows do you like? We've never talked about this before."

Jim responded, "I will watch pretty much everything but romance movies, including romantic comedies. I really like sci-fi and fantasy and action movies. I don't watch TV though."

Toby was kind of dumbfounded by this revelation. Jim didn't watch TV at all? Well that would explain how easily they became friends disregarding Toby's career. He wasn't on Jim's radar. "You don't watch any TV?"

Jim shook his head, "Nope. I wasn't allowed to watch it as a kid, and we didn't have an antenna or cable box. Just DVD movies."

Toby suggested, "Most teenagers in your situation sneak out and watch at a friend's house."

Jim just shrugged and said, "I had my computer games, and I honestly didn't have many friends in middle school."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Toby said, looking genuinely hurt for his friend.

"Hey, I've got plenty of friends now. It's nothing to be sorry about," Jim replied.

Toby cracked a smile and said, "I was talking about you hating romantic comedies. They are fun and challenging to make."

Jim smirked, "But they are so over the top and unrealistic, even the non-comedy romance stories are unrealistic." Toby just laughed.

* * *

Trent stopped by Toby's room right after class and gently knocked. There wasn't an immediate response so he tried the door knob and called out "Hello?" as he stepped inside. Toby was obscured by his bed coverings and Trent had just decided to walk out when he stirred and looked blearily around.

"Oh, Trent, is it dinner time already?" he asked while fumbling around for his phone to see the time. "No, I was just checking on you. I saw how rough you were this morning," Trent said. It took several minutes, but Toby finally sat up. His shirt and tie were removed, and he had bedhead, so he looked rather disheveled.

"You know, I skimmed the handbook and it didn't say anything about boys not being allowed to crash in each other's rooms," Toby said.

Trent looked around and found Toby's copy on the nightstand upside down and with a bookmark in it. "It's in the fraternization clauses. 'No student of Dalton Academy shall have a visitor stay for an extended period in their room for whom the boy could potentially engage in intimate activities with.' From what I hear, it was modified ten years ago. It used to mention 'of the female gender who is not a blood relative,' he explained.

Toby frowned and said, "So your roommate is exempted but since you're gay, no guy friend sleep overs." Trent smirked and nodded. He really wished he could help Toby with this one. "Yup, one of the many ways in which Dalton strives to keep everyone equal," Trent replied.

Toby said, "Well, shoot."

Trent said, "Trust me. Being treated like a normal person is kind of endearing to me. Just because nobody can get away with anything, doesn't mean there aren't people here raised on prejudice."

Toby leaned back and then started, "What did you just say?" as if just really hearing it for the first time.

Trent walked over, dragged Toby's chair and sat down near him. Trent tried to explain it simply, "I didn't want to open your eyes to the shadows in the halls, but there are some people here from stuck up families with really traditional values. I don't fit into their worldview because I'm gay and open about it. My roommate Adam probably wouldn't fit in because he's african-american and can afford to go to Dalton without assistance. For some of them it's just because he's not white. You probably wouldn't fit in because you're a celebrity, or a non-Ohio native. It doesn't take much, believe me."

Toby exclaimed, "Good lord, I never noticed any of that going on."

Trent replied, "Well, they aren't allowed to act on anything and since being openly prejudiced would only get them ill will from the rest of the student body, the typical response is quiet disdain."

Toby was floored. He had met plenty of students who had gushed over his being there the first week, and just as many who hadn't given him the time of day. Now he was starting to wonder which of those were just as mean to everybody else who wasn't like them.

Trent said, "I can see the gears turning, just forget about it. You won't be sure it's someone who hates you, and there's no point in assuming everybody who doesn't smile hates you."

Toby shrugged, "Okay, man. I'll try." He paused and then said, "So... as an odd segue, Martin Lockey keeps looking at you during play practice. You gonna ask him out?"

Trent didn't even hesitate, "Why would I ask out an overreaching, drama queen? He's cute, but I don't want to spend the rest of my life playing a game of who is better than who. Plus he's a first year. I'm sure most of his attitude is him trying to rule the school too soon."

Toby said, "Okay, okay. I just thought that since you and Blaine don't seem to be getting closer, that you might think about Martin. I know he was looking at you well before the scene where Timms pretends to seduce Dakin on the table."

Trent said, "Hey, it's not like he's asked either." That brought a thoughtful look to his face before turning back to Toby, "Not that I think I'd go out with him if he did. In some ways we're nothing alike and in others we're way too similar."

Toby smiled and said, "Well I just want you to be happy. If you're happy being single, I'll be happy along with you."

Trent then laughed, his facial expression resolving into a smirk as he said, "I didn't say that." Then he thought about it and sheepishly patted Toby's hand. "You're the only person besides Adam I let give me dating advice. I don't know why I didn't just bite your head off when you first mentioned it." Trent thought about turning the tables on Toby and asking him about his dating situation in more depth, but he just couldn't bring himself to find out that he had found someone special. Not yet.

Toby smirked and said, "Cause I'm adorable?"

Trent put on a serious look and said, "Oh, I bitch at cute people every day. That's no defense." The absurdity of his face made Toby chuckle and he smiled again. He stood up, and put the chair back where he found it. He looked at Toby again and said, "Well, it's time for practice and you probably want to take a real nap." Trent headed for the door and closed it behind him.

* * *

Jeff finished his evening ritual and was about to climb into bed when Toby cleared his throat. Jeff looked over at the boy one year his elder and smiled."Couch?"

Toby looked over and said, "Well, do you wanna throw rock/paper/scissors for who is out?"

Jeff smirked and said, "No, I'm even more excited today. You deserve a decent night's sleep." Toby smiled and said, "Thank you. Hey, assuming you actually fall asleep, do you want a wake up call at 9?" Jeff nodded and grabbed his pillow, comforter and a novel. He also picked up his room key and headed towards the door.

"Night, Toby."

"Goodnight, Jeff."


	5. Boys Will Be Boys, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the day of the Big Game, and the day of Jeff's first date.

**Disclaimer** : Glee and many of the characters depicted herein are not owned by myself.

* * *

October 8th, 2010

Jeff jerked awake as he felt a presence near him. The light streaming in through the windows fell on his face and blinded him. Finally he saw a dark shape lean over him and say something. That shape at first looked like an angel, not the kind with wings, but a face surrounded by a golden aura of light. The shape slowly resolved into the face of a caucasian boy with shaggy blonde hair being lit from behind, and finally to the face of his roommate, Toby Armstrong.

"I said, you told me to get you up now. I hope you got enough sleep, cause we're about to leave," he said. Ah, Jeff must have asked him what he was doing or something. Toby leaned back and the light returned to nearly blinding him. He sat up and saw Trent standing just inside the doorway. They were both wearing their blues and had on fall coats, Toby a beige wind breaker and Trent a dark gray peacoat.

Jeff planted both feet on the carpeted floor and looked at them both from underneath the partial confines of his comforter. "Good morning," he said, before yawning widely.

Trent smirked and said, "Today's the day. You better wow this girl, or Toby will kick you out entirely next time." Toby laughed and turning, began to walk towards Trent, "Nah, I'd just duct tape him into bed or get some horse tranquilizers."

"Ha, ha, fellas. Now get, I need to sit here until I can walk," Jeff said. His eyes unfocused for a minute and Toby charged back over.

"Oh no you don't. You wanted to be up by 9, so you're getting up!" he said and grabbed Jeff's shoulder and maneuvered him to a standing position. It didn't take much for Toby to march him to the door and point him in the direction of the room. Trent pointed at something behind them both. Jeff began trudging down the hall, and had almost tuned everything out, including the morning greetings of the other boys currently in the hallway when someone tapped him on the shoulder.

"You forgot these," Toby said as he put his room key into Jeff's left hand. "Later, Jeff," he said and waved as he jogged back the direction he had come.

* * *

After a hot shower, Jeff was a new man. He did his hair, put on his new cologne and checked his eyes for bags. Finally satisfied that he looked like a human being and not a zombie, he went to put on his outfit for this afternoon: a nice shirt, with a cardigan, and nice jeans. He figured that Adriana would want him to stand out from his peers on a first date, but to avoid appearing too formal. He had just enough time to get to the dining hall and have an actual meal before they closed for the morning.

The line was just as long as normal on a Saturday, and he loaded his tray with a waffle, eggs, and sausage. Normally he'd eat twice as much, with his metabolism he didn't have to worry about gaining weight, at least not yet. However, he was still nervous and he didn't want to have too much in his stomach in case he got the jitters really badly later.

He sat down at a deserted table, seeing one of the boys who worked here for work study already sitting down. "Good morning," Jeff said. The other boy looked up and waved, "Morning."

"You're Blaine's roommate, right?" Jeff asked, making small talk. The other boy nodded and looked at him for a moment. "Jason?" he tried, and Jeff just laughed.

"Jeff Garnet," he said as he stood and offered a hand. The other boy likewise stood up and reached across the table to shake his hand.

"Aaron Garvin," he said. He continued with, "Pleasure to meet you, Jeff. So are you in the Warblers too?"

Jeff nodded and grinned, "Have you seen us perform or is this from deductive reasoning?"

Aaron turned back to his plate and spooned the last bit of fruit out of his bowl while commenting, "If Blaine has many friends from last year, they don't seem to drop by the room much."

Jeff laughed at that and said, "Sorry, we can sometimes be exuberant about impromptu practice sessions. If we annoy you, let someone know."

Aaron smiled and deflected the implication by saying, "Have fun at the game, I know Carey pressured plenty of you guys into going today." He then stood again and picked up his tray.

Jeff smiled again and said, "Oh, I've got something much more interesting going on this afternoon."

Aaron nodded with a smile and replied, "Well, enjoy yourself. My break is over, so I'll see you later." Jeff waved as Aaron headed to the bussing station, and grabbed an apron.

* * *

Carey pulled up to the school drive in a beige Ford Excursion and powered the windows down to say, "Get in!" Adam reached for the passenger door and looked at Toby and Trent, as if asking them if they preferred shotgun. Trent waved his hand as if shooing him away and walked around the rear of the vehicle to get in the rear passenger door behind Carey and Toby did the same behind Adam.

"We're on our way!" Carey said as they wheeled away from the curb and headed towards the access road. Carey saw Blaine's sedan pull in behind them as they headed towards the highway.

"So, is everyone excited? I know it's not pro football, but it's gonna be brutal. These two teams have such a rivalry this year," Carey said to break the monotony of the radio commercials and low volume songs.

Toby smiled from the back seat and said, "I'm excited. I haven't been to an actual game since my father last took me in '03."

Adam raised an eye brow at that and asked, "Not even a school game…." but stopped himself and said, "Sorry, I forgot."

Toby said, "It's okay. That Chiefs game was pretty good. They only lost 3 games that year."

Carey said, "I'd have thought you'd be a Raiders fan. You grew up near Kansas City?"

Toby said, "Lawrence, Kansas to be exact. Dad grew up in Blue Springs, Missouri, but mom is a university professor so we moved there when I was 2."

Adam offered, "I'm pretty sure nobody grows up in Hollywood, but for some people team allegiances change."

Toby smirked and said, "Maybe later." By this time, Keri Hilson's song  _Pretty Girl Rock_  had come on the radio, and Carey leaned over to turn it up. At the end of the first few lines he joined in and sang along, changing the words just enough to cause everyone in the vehicle to smile.

"...I Don't Gotta Talk About it Baby You Can See It, But if You Want I'll Be Happy to Repeat It."

"My Name is Carey, I'm So Very, Fly Oh My It's a Little Bit Scary."

"Girls Wanna Marry, Looking at my Derri, Erre, You Can Stare But If You Touch It I'ma Bury!"

Adam cracked up, and Carey kept singing, as if he was singing just for Adam. Toby and Trent laughed from the backseat but quickly joined in singing backup. Adam got ahold of himself and joined in as well, beat boxing in the background as they created an impromptu Warblers presentation of the popular pop song.

"All My Gents Do the Pretty Boy Rock Rock Rock, Do The Pretty Boy Rock Rock Rock."

"Do The Pretty Boy Rock Rock Rock, Do the Pretty Boy Rock, Now Where You At?"

"If You're Looking For Me You Can Catch Me," (Pass By)

"Cameras Flashing. Bet She Turned Her Head Just as Soon as I Passed Her."

"Guys Think I'm Conceited Cause I Know I'm Attractive. Don't Worry About What I Think, Why Don't You Ask Her?"

"Get Yourself Together Don't Hate" (Never Do It) the boys in back sang while waggling index fingers at each other.

"Jealousy Is The Ugliest Trait" (Don't Ever Do It)

"I Can Talk About It Cause I Know That I'm Pretty, And If You Know It Too Then Gents Sing It With Me."

The group of boys finished the song and couldn't help but burst into laughter for a full minute afterwards. Carey turned the radio back down and just stared at Toby in his rear view mirror. "I can't believe you didn't audition. It's definitely our loss," he said.

Toby blushed and said, "Thanks, but I'm just not comfortable performing for people if I have to sing."

Adam asked, "Is it a jitters thing, or a phobia or..." but Trent came to Toby's rescue and interrupted him.

"I think we can ask him about more interesting things," he said. Then turning to Toby he asked, "Like if you miss cameras and manic directors?"

Toby just laughed and started to explain, "Every director I've ever worked for is pretty laid back. I'm sort of a character actor, so if you give me enough time to get into the guy's head, I can deliver any of the lines as long as I remember them."

Trent laughed and said, "Well, be lucky you didn't audition for a part in the play after all. Ms. Appleton is high maintenance and fidgety."

Adam laughed at that, and Carey and Toby joined in as they continued the road trip.

* * *

Carey rolled to a stop near WG Grinders south of the campus and said, "We're here," he looked at the clock in the car and said, "and it's about an hour before we need to be sitting at the Stadium." He hopped out and the other boys followed him.

Toby said, "I've never heard of this place before... but that's not surprising," as they walked in the door. Trent said, "They've got a diverse menu, but most of it's pretty much Italian. Italian subs, pizza, salad, pasta..."

Toby examined the menu as they stepped into line and said, "Oh, stromboli, I think I'll get that." Trent sighed and said, "I guess it's salad again for me."

Toby leaned over and said, "Live a little, Trent. I know we're trying to eat healthy, but if you just have a salad you'll be hungry later, then eat a burger or a few hotdogs, and then you'll be worse off in the long run." Toby went forward and paid before Trent had made up his mind. When Trent joined him at his table for two near the other guys, he saw a bowl of baked pasta.

"Wow, is that red meat I see mixed in there?" he joked. Trent sniffed and said, "Hey, I decided one thousand calories was better than two or more, so yeah. Carbs, red meat and fatty cheese."

Toby smirked and said, "Everything you just said sounded like 'Delicious, delicious and delicious." He tucked into his own meal and was thoroughly impressed. He hadn't had something near as good since before he arrived in California. "Oh this is good too. Do you want a bite?" he offered. Trent just shook his head and smiled.

"You don't have any idea what it's like being an overweight gay guy. If you think teenage girls have bad body image, try to imagine getting ragged on by a thin guy in a club who realistically doesn't have a lot of dating options," Trent said.

Toby looked him in the eye and just shrugged, "I do get ragged on by people all the time. I'll bet I could search google for my name and 'fatty' and get more hits than my name and 'actor'. I just don't let it get to me."

Trent said, "You can't be serious? People are really that mean? How have you not checked into weight boot camp or had cosmetic surgery?"

Toby said, "People don't think of actors and rock stars as people, they think of us as fantasies. If a fantasy doesn't live up to expectations, people pick it apart from behind the anonymity of the internet. You should hear half the mean things they say about Amy or Chelsea and they're both really pretty and nice, and talented too."

Trent asked, "What do they say?"

Toby looked away for a second and said, "Actually, you can look it up later if you want." He turned back to his companion and continued, "The end of the story is that I am trying to eat right and exercise so I can be a healthier me, not so I can lose enough weight to be considered a heartthrob."

Trent said, "Well, that works for you, but unless I can wear a Large without it stretching too much, I'm afraid I'll get snickered at behind my back the rest of my life."

Toby looked Trent directly in the eyes and said, "Don't go there. You're a healthy size, you're handsome, especially in nice clothes, and you're funny. Somebody besides me eventually will notice all that."

Trent smirked and said, "I don't believe you," while picking out forkfuls of food and slowly eating.

Toby smiled and said, "New topic then."

Trent said, "Okay, so if you're from the middle of the country, what lead to you becoming a Hollywood actor?"

Toby smiled, as if he were remembering a fond memory and said, "Oh, that's easy. That'd be my cousin Ethan."

Trent said, "Your cousin huh? You've never mentioned him before."

"Yeah, when I was 9 my aunt passed away while Uncle Tony was deployed overseas. So my cousin Ethan came to stay with my family in Lawrence. After the funeral he sort of became a fixture at the house. We did so much together that he became like the older brother I never had, and when he started to go to acting classes I started tagging along. Never thought I'd make it on my own, but here we are," he explained.

Trent was enthralled, and he asked, "Do you have a picture of him?" At that request Toby fumbled around in his pocket until he had brought out his phone and fiddled with it for a few minutes. Finally he handed the cell phone to Trent. Trent actually gasped so loudly that Adam and Carey looked over from their nearby table. "Your cousin is Ethan Jackson?"

Trent looked at the image of Toby and the dark haired, svelte actor together as Toby answered, "Yeah. His actual name is Ethan Jackson Armstrong. There was already an Ethan Armstrong in the acting guild rolls, and he didn't like the sound of Jack Armstrong. He said it made him sound like a superhero."

Trent handed the phone back to him after briefly looking at the picture one more time, "Well, you two do look alike."

Toby put the phone away and said, "Our fathers are identical twins, not that they look alike now, though," before returning to his meal. Trent mulled something over as he continued to eat lunch slowly. Toby asked, "Trent, you okay?"

Trent looked up and said, "Oh, I'm fine. Just lost in thought. I mean I used to think of myself as something of a celebrity trivia buff... Anyway, so your family moved so Ethan could start a career?"

Toby nodded, "But at that time I was auditioning too. I did a few commercials by the time I had turned 13, and that sort of started everything."

Trent just smiled, and said, "Well I'm glad." Toby gave him a confused look, cocked his head to the right and asked, "Why?"

The brunet made a characteristic wave of his right hand and said, "All those things led to you coming here. I don't think I've ever meshed so well with anybody before."

Toby smiled, "Well, you're my best friend too." He stopped at that, paused for a few seconds and then just laughed. Trent gave him a quizzical look from across the table and he explained, "Nathanyal was worried he'd get replaced." At that Trent joined Toby in laughter.

* * *

It was just a few more minutes before he really had to go. He had slaved over his hair for the last half hour, brushed his teeth twice since this morning and was fighting butterflies as his phone alarm went off and he realized it was now time to actually head to the car. Jeff had fought with himself on whether he should put on a tie, or change his cardigan out for a suit jacket, even his school uniform. Finally he let momentum carry, as he decided that what he wore this morning was fine and that she'd appreciate the efforts he took even if he somehow was super dressed down from what she was wearing.

He drove his old school beetle over to their sister campus building, and waited at the gate for the guard to find his name on the list. The gate was opened and he drove inside. The circle drive was relatively empty, so he pulled up right in front of the main doors and got out. Standing there at the front door was Adriana, a dark haired beauty, with simple but adorable looks. She was wearing jeans and a sweater over a blouse. He couldn't believe his luck, they were perfectly matched.

"Hi... um... Adriana," he said with a self-conscious air about him. He began to extend his hand but pulled it back and clasped his hands behind his back. She smiled and said, "Hi, Jeff." He continued, "I hope you weren't waiting here long. If I'd known you would be early, I'd have gotten here early too." He looked pale and it was obvious to her, and any bystanders that he thought he had screwed up.

She shook her head and said, "I'm not gonna play games about who should be here first. I was just looking forward to today. That's all." She then took a step forward and offered him her hand, at elbow height. He took the hint, and offered her his arm to wrap her own arm around. They walked down to his car and he opened the door for her. When he had managed to run around the rear of the vehicle he saw his driver side door pop open. He slid inside and closed the door.

"I'll let you get away with opening my door for me this once. It was sweet, but I can open my own door, thank you, Mr. Garnet," she said as she buckled her seat belt. Jeff just looked on in awe of his date, fumbled about for his car keys before realizing that he had left them in the ignition and started the car.

"Off we go," he said, flashing her a wide smile and turning on his turn signal. Her laughter at his lame joke was all it took for him to feel more at ease, and he pulled away from the curb.

* * *

Carey led the group up the stairs into the stadium stands. He held his arms wide and smiled, turning back to the rest of his group and said, "We're here! Twenty minutes to kickoff, and we're here!"

Toby smiled back at him, but Nick and Adam stepped forward. Adam pulled his arms down and said, "Stop it, you're drawing attention to us." Nick leaned in and said, "Plus you're acting like a little kid." Carey laughed and led the way to their seats. Trent and Toby piled in next to each other, leaving space for Nick and Blaine beside them. Adam took the end cap, but Blaine stood up and said, "I think I'll go run and get a bottled water or a soda. I'm not gonna make it all the way through without getting thirsty."

Blaine made his way down the stairs to the concessions stand on this floor and got in line. Just as he had ordered a large soda without ice, he heard movement from behind him and turning saw a bright red letterman's jacket, and one David Karofsky filling it out standing right behind him. "What's up, hair gel? Where's your boyfriend?" he said, menacingly leaning in to get close to eye level with Blaine. The tall, wide teen with the short brown hair and flashing green eyes was very physically intimidating to Blaine, a medium height boy with a swimmer's build.

Blaine swallowed somewhat audibly before turning to grab his drink off the countertop and saying, perhaps too softly, "I know you mean Kurt, and he isn't here as far as I know."

The bigger boy sniffed and said, "It's just like you to show up when I'm out as far away from Lima as I can get to enjoy myself." Then he leaned in so close he could smell Blaine's hair product and said under his breath, "I should take you in the bathroom and introduce you to the toilet water. Maybe then your girly hair wouldn't smell so much." Alone and somewhat backed into a corner by the boy prone to violent outbursts he didn't exactly feel accommodating to his fantasies.

He tried to put on a show of mutual disagreement, and hide his own fears, locking them away as he offered, "Look, I'm sure you didn't drive for 2 hours just to get into it with me. Let me enjoy the game in peace and this can be the last time we see each other," Blaine offered before backing away and heading back to his seat in the stands.

* * *

Dave wanted to punch something, but even the prospect of forcing some fear into the smug teen's eyes didn't alleviate his fear of discovery. The boy knew what he did, he knew what it meant about him, and he held no hopes that he wouldn't use it as a weapon against him. Dave was frightened that two boys held his life in their hands. One of them he could remind on a daily basis to keep his mouth shut, but this was one of the few times he had ever seen this other kid.

Still, he couldn't expect his friends to back him up if he went apeshit all over the guy without a prior explanation. He seethed, but got back in line, ordered the food he had come to grab and headed back to his seat. As he walked he couldn't help but look around. It was when he got back to his row that he finally caught sight of the distinctive navy and red coming from underneath various outer wear sitting in a row in the same section as him and his friends, but at least six rows below them. Dave sat down with the large boxes on his lap between Azimio and Strando.

Azimio, a large african-american with short cropped hair, leaned over and grabbed one of the boxes and said, "At last, my man. You almost missed kickoff." Strando just said, "Double cheeseburgers are the best," as his food was passed to him. Dave didn't pay much attention to the chubby, curly haired blond. He nodded but wasn't smiling or making his normal humorous comments. He turned toward the gay kid and his friends and scanned the backs of their heads relentlessly searching for Kurt's characteristic hair style and head shape amongst them. Dave even looked at the people all around them. When he was certain he didn't see Hummel, he finally sat back into the seat and just settled for staring directly through the back of the dark haired kid's head.

Azimio picked up on the behavior long before Strando would have bothered to notice. He elbowed Dave in the ribs and said, "What's up, Dave? You aren't paying attention to the game at all."

Dave muttered back, "It's nothing man, I just don't feel well."

Azimio almost yelled back, "Hell no, man. Don't get sick on me now. I won't let you live it down if we got to drag your ass to the hospital and I miss the Buckeyes beating hell out of these clowns."

Dave waved his hand to silence that thought, "No, I'm just disgusted I guess. One of Kurt's gay buddies is here. I saw him at concessions."

Strando leaned in and said, "You should really try to ignore those dudes. We're in Columbus for pete's sake, and we still have to play football with those guys."

Incredulously, Dave turned to the blond and asked him, "Are you on their side all of a sudden?" To which Strando said, "No, and I like giving them heck when it matters, at school, but this is like a vacation, man."

But Azimio had other things on his mind. "Is Hummel here with the rest of Homo Explosion? Why didn't you say so? We can go get some slushies and give it to 'em when the half time show starts. Nobody will care here!" he said, obviously excited.

Dave shook his head, "No it's this other kid, he doesn't go to McKinley. In fact, I think all the guys with him go to the same faggy school. They are all wearing the same clothes."

Strando raised an eyebrow, "School uniforms?"

Azimio said, "Oh, that is too fucking gay."

The others went back to watching the game, Az occasionally thinking of mischief and voicing his ideas of how they could torment them later, and Dave responded to the ones he thought would get him in the least trouble. However, even thinking up torments for his unnamed problem didn't let Dave ignore him. He did nothing but fume and worry about the boy in the 4th row. He imagined he was right now telling his friends all about what a homo he was, and that any minute they'd all turn around and laugh at him. He imagined that Azimio and Strando would somehow figure out why they were laughing and he'd be done for. Sometimes Dave Karofsky really hated his life.

* * *

The pair of them pushed their way into the crowded coffee house and the aroma of roasting beans and coffee washed over the pair. Jeff let Adriana open the door for him and they took in the carefully ordered chaos of The Premium Roast. There were people having conversations about everything from climate change, to who was dating who all over the interior, and staff members cleared tables while holding short conversations with patrons. However, the reason Jeff had chosen this place was the slightly raised stage area in the back.

He didn't know who the band currently sitting on stools was, but Jeff specifically wanted something more than a traditional coffee date. He was just pleased that they were an acoustic group so hopefully they could enjoy a chance to talk to one another. Adriana smiled at the surroundings and led him to a table away from the windows, along the wall opposite the serving counter.

They sat down at a small table and Jeff admired her dark locks of straight hair as it cascaded down to her shoulders. "So... have you been in Westerville for long?" he asked her.

She made eye contact before answering, "Well, I'm from Columbus, but I first came to school here last year. So some stuff is new and some stuff is familiar. What about you?"

Jeff looked down at his hands, clasped together on the tabletop, and he moved them to his thighs and then responded, "This is my second year at Dalton, but I'm from near Cleveland." He paused to look into her dark eyes before continuing, "I guess you could say my parents have high academic expectations since that's so far away."

"I can't believe we both came to school the same year. And we're just meeting now," she said, looking into his brown eyes. Jeff started to get lost in her gaze when he remembered that they hadn't ordered yet. Standing quickly, he turned to Adriana and asked, "Um, what can I get you?"

She smiled, stood with a grace and timing that implied she did this all the time, and said, "Better yet, what can I get you? You can get me a non-fat mocha with two sugars."

"How did you know I really like a young woman who knows what she wants?" Jeff quipped.

She responded, "Oh, whoever gives me my intel must give you yours, because gentlemen are in short supply these days."

As they walked up to the countertop to order, Jeff risked being forward, "So any other suggestions for tempering any over the top acts of chivalry?"

She smiled and said, "Oh, if I'm in danger save me. It's not a damsel in distress situation when you're hanging off a cliff. Just don't assume I can't take care of myself and you can be as kind as you would be to anyone else. It is endearing you know."

After they paid for their beverages and exchanged cups they walked back to the table and sat down once more. They talked about goals, a little bit about politics, and finally got to the topic of university paths.

"I want to get involved as a lawyer dealing with family law cases, or perhaps as a lobbyist for social justice groups," Adriana explained. Jeff smiled, he could respect both of those career paths. He blushed fiercely though once she turned her gaze on him again. He almost choked on the words as he said, "I want to be a high school teacher."

Adriana seemed impressed, but also a little confused, "What's so scary about saying that?"

"I've never told anybody else before. Usually I just say I don't know what I want to do," he said.

"So you want to head into the trenches and mold young minds? I think that's admirable. Very admirable," she said, trying to convey the depth of her respect for his choice.

He sipped more of his coffee and further admitted, "Yeah, I want to be an eccentric, over the top, goofball high school teacher." He looked directly into her deep brown eyes and she could see the passion behind his words, "The kind that makes kids learn to think for themselves and not just stop at the surface of any issue."

She smirked and then said, "Every school needs at least one passionate teacher."

He silently smiled at that. Adriana finished her coffee as they stared at each other. "Jeff, what are you doing next Friday night?" He was a bit taken aback, but then he just smiled, and that said it all.

* * *

Carey exploded off the seat as the Buckeyes' quarterback threw a perfect pass to the running back who ran in for the touchdown. The game was as good as over, with about five minutes left on the clock and too wide a discrepancy in the score for the Hoosiers to come back and steal the show. Toby and Nick were cheering loudly, and Adam was hooting from the stands, but Carey was the only one jumping up and down.

Blaine leaned over once Carey sat back down and the final plays of the game began to say, "This game has been phenomenal! I'm actually hungry for dinner, and discussion!"

Adam slapped Blaine on the back as he concurred, "I know what you mean. The score is low, but they fought tooth and nail to get every point. It's been flat out amazing."

When the last second fell off the clock the boys, all except Trent, leaped up and made a joyous noise. They clapped each other on the back and Carey gave out a few hugs in thanks for his friends sharing this with him. "I was right? Wasn't I? This has been the best road trip ever!" he yelled. Trent kept quiet, and the group waited for the lines leading out of the stadium to empty. They unanimously decided that waiting was preferable to shoulder to shoulder chaos at this point. They talked about the game: favorite moments, sports scores, and conference match-ups, and even what they had going on next week.

When most of the crowd had dispersed and they were nearly alone in the stands. Adam was about to lead the way out of their row, when they heard a laugh and a voice behind them say, "Damn, man. You were right. I've never seen so many gays in one place at the same time. Even the Glee Losers have some girls in the mix." As they turned to look at the speaker they heard another voice, which caused Blaine to cringe, "It must be in the water or something. You boys all drink from the junk fountain so you can dress so pretty at school?" The first boy, a large, beefy african-american said, "Nah, it's gotta be something they catch on the first day of school. Chicken and the egg, my friend."

Carey had heard about enough and seeing Blaine stare in shock at the boys, one african-american and two whites standing there in matching red and off-white letterman jackets proved to be the last straw. "Why don't you three go on and leave before we have to take it personally," he said, strong malice an undercurrent in his voice. Trent was visibly upset, but he didn't seem as bad as Blaine under the circumstances. The curly haired blonde just stared at the lot of them, focusing a lot of attention at first on Carey, but fixing his gaze more fully on Toby.

The loud-mouthed dark skinned boy stepped forward and said, "Why don't you step back and take care of your pansy ass boyfriend before you get beaten by a real man!" Carey lunged forward and Nick restrained him as Adam moved forward, just as incensed as his friends.

Adam said "Little boys should learn to count by the time they're allowed out without their mommies."

Trent finally found his voice and just yelled, "Where the hell do you come from?"

Blaine then spoke up and said, "They're from McKinley High in Lima. They're the ones torturing Kurt." At the mention of the name, the taller, dark haired caucasian flinched visibly and he began to shake slightly. Recognition dawned on the faces of the rest of the Warblers. Toby confusingly asked, "Kurt?"

Nick stopped restraining Carey and said, "Huh, it's funny how guys with rocks for brains can still manage to figure out the smartest kids in class to pick on." The two aggressive teens, the pair that had done all of the yelling so far, looked like they were ready to brawl right then and there. One of them started forward when the large blonde boy tugged on the shoulder of the african-american boy, and said, "Dude, I think they're humiliated enough." The other two boys looked at him, and Blaine felt relieved that one of them had seen reason as the other two followed him down the stairs. He could still hear the words echoing in his head. It was an unwholesome cap to an otherwise fun day. The next thing he knew, Toby was standing in front of him, hands on his shoulders drawing his attention.

"Blaine, I asked if you were alright? Those guys seemed to be after you. And you recognized them. What's going on?" he asked.

Blaine responded as best he could, "I was fine until I saw that jerk at the concession stand. I had enjoyed the game so much I had forgotten all about him being here. At least until they decided to confront me, and curse out the rest of you."

Toby offered him a genuinely concerned look and then smiled weakly, "We're here, and we're not going to let you go anywhere alone. So forget about those guys." Blaine thought about the boy standing in front of him, and decided that he didn't care if half the gay guys in school had a crush on him, or if the student body started gossiping at his every movement. Blaine realized that this boy was just what he needed right now, a kind soul that didn't want anything except to see him feel better, safer. He reached forward and wrapped his arms around Toby, who just hugged him and patted him on the back. They pulled apart from one another and Toby rubbed his back gently as the rest of the Dalton boys calmed down.

"Do you want me to ride with you and Nick to the restaurant?" Toby offered. Blaine shook his head and said, "No, I feel better already. I think they'd be crazy to come after me now, it is light out still and I'm sure that the parking lot has cameras."

Adam cooled down almost immediately, it took Carey long minutes to feel jovial enough to continue onto the next stage of their Saturday outing. Blaine said, "Thanks, Toby." as he walked up to Nick and gestured towards the stairs.

Trent walked up and stood next to Toby on the stairs, the last two to leave the arena stands. "Today started as a good day. It'll end as a good day too, right?" Toby smiled, and the warm grin he flashed his friend was very appreciated. He could see it in the laughter coming back into his eyes. The blond nodded and they headed down the stairs.

They had begun talking about more mundanities when they walked out into the late afternoon and they heard and saw something behind them and to the right. The pair turned around and saw the large McKinley jock with the curly blond hair was leaning against the outer wall of the stadium and he pushed his way off the vertical surface using his left leg. Closing the distance in a few long strides he stood, looming over the two friends.

"Do you all go to a gay school, and are you dating him?" the jock asked Toby, jerking his head at Trent standing to his right to indicate which him he was referring to. His deep baritone voice fairly devoid of either rage, or overt friendliness.

Toby narrowed his eyes briefly and said very calmly, "I'm not dating anybody, but there wouldn't be anything wrong with it if I was. And no, there are many more boys with girlfriends at school."

The larger boy continued to look carefully at Toby and replied, "Well, it's not for me to judge. I was just curious since I recognized you from somewhere." Toby began to sweat, but it was Trent who tried to deflect the comment.

"Oh, I doubt it. You must be mistaking us for other people you've seen before," he said. His delivery was clipped and he seemed somewhat cautious in how he comported himself. The last thing he wanted to do was test the limits of this jock's resolve to live and let live.

"Well I thought that for a bit, but then I remembered that you're Barry. I'm Christopher. I'm a fan of the show," he said and extended his right hand. He didn't seem super enthusiastic, but it seemed honest and he smiled at Toby.

Toby shook his hand and said, "Well, you've got me. Toby." Trent rolled his eyes at Toby who just turned to him and said, "What?"

Trent calmed down and said, "So... uh our ride is waiting for us." Toby came back to himself and said, "Oh, Trent's right. Uh... it was nice to meet you." They turned and hurried towards Carey's SUV, picking up the pace so that they could arrive in time to leave before Blaine's car was too far down the roadway. Toby looked back once as they made their way through the semi-deserted lot. He saw Christopher walking towards a large black truck.

"I think that 230 lb. jock just saved us from getting beat up, and a lot of unwanted media attention," Toby said as they finally neared the vehicle.

Trent smirked and said, "Oh, please. He's 240 at least." They laughed out loud as they both ran to their respective doors.

* * *

Toby unlocked the door to his room and peered inside to see the lights off and Jeff laying in his bed asleep. He closed the door and turned back to Trent. "Thanks for putting up with a football trip, Trent," he said.

Trent smiled and said, "It wasn't that bad."

"Oh, no, I could tell you were bored. You were so thoroughly uninterested that you were daydreaming even with Carey making all that noise next to you," he countered.

Trent shrugged and said, "Hey, it's never come up in conversation before, and I could tell that my best friend wanted to go, so I went along. It wasn't anything big."

Toby shook his head and leaned in to pull Trent into a strong hug. He smiled as he looked over the taller boy's shoulder at the wall and he deepened his grasp as he explained, "Thanks for being my best friend, but I promise you I'll never drag you to another sporting event. If you don't want to go to something with me, just say so. Okay?"

They released each other from the embrace and Toby could see that red was creeping into his friend's cheeks. Trent simply said, "Okay."

* * *

Blaine knocked on the door and when it opened slightly, he saw a boy with shaggy brown hair. "Uh, is William in?"

William's roommate said, "He's here. He's listening to music, so you'll have to get his attention." He fully opened the door and stepped aside to allow Blaine access.

Blaine covered the distance to William's side, and nodded at his dog as Aaron Neville perked up his ears and began paying attention to him. Blaine lightly touched William's arm and waited. William removed his head phones and said, "Yeah, Tim?"

"Oh, it's me. Your roommate let me in," Blaine said, trying to explain the mixup. William's mouth burst into a wide smile and he turned to face Blaine.

"Blaine! So good of you to stop by. Tim, this is Blaine Anderson. Blaine, you've already met Tim McNab. You're both Second Years so I expect you'll have classes together sometime," William explained. Tim nodded and waved at Blaine from his desk where he was studying.

Blaine leaned closer to William and asked, "Will, do you have a minute?"

William replied, "Anytime. Tim, I'll be back before too long." He picked up his dog harness and grabbed a coat. "Let's go to the Chapel. It'll be deserted this time of night, and Aaron Neville could use the walk," he replied. Blaine just murmured agreement and stepped into line. William asked him if he had enjoyed his outing that day, and if he felt good about the upcoming Sectionals competition. They talked about surface issues until they got to the Chapel, and pushed open the left side of the large double doors.

There was enough light from the street lamps shining in through the windows to keep Blaine from tripping over pews as they walked towards the front of the building. It was when they had reached the halfway point down the aisle that Blaine spoke up, "I had a run in with some of Kurt's bullies today. It really shook me."

William frowned, although it wasn't terribly visible to Blaine who had started staring into space. "Was anybody hurt?" he asked matter of factly.

"No, they yelled at us after the game was over. The normal anti-gay crap," Blaine explained.

His friend looked over at him and said, "Then count it as a done deal and move on. He's not going to drive up from Lima to mess with you on random weekends, and he probably doesn't know where you live. It's over." Blaine thought about that, really thought about it. William was right. He wasn't going to see the bully at the local shopping center. The game was a coincidence because they are both sports fans.

"Wow, thanks. Toby tried to get me out of this funk earlier today, but I guess I got kind of depressed anyway. Thanks for helping me get my head on straight, Will."

"Hey, I'm always happy to help," William said.

Blaine guided them back to the Chapel door and as they left he asked, "Do you want to go out and grab dessert? It'll be my treat. You put up with my problems too much really."

"Your treat huh? Are you asking me out on a date, Blaine?" he asked with a smirk on his lips.

Blaine pondered, thought about how much he liked William and decided to go for it, "If you are interested, then yeah, it'd be a date. You're one of the most sensitive, insightful guys I know."

William blushed and said, "I've been blind since birth, so let's just say I'm not sure about everything. But I really like you. I'd be a fool to pass this opportunity up if I'm even slightly gay, right?" Blaine laughed and put his arm around William's shoulder as they walked to the parking lot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New Cast Notes: Ellen Page/Adriana, Max Adler/Dave Karofsky, Kody Batchelor/Christopher Strando, James Earl III/Azimio Adams


	6. A Friend in Need

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is another two-parter, but it was always intended that way. It's not because of needing to split up 9k+ in words. As always, feedback is appreciated.

**Disclaimer** : I don't own Glee, the characters or the world.

* * *

October 13, 2010

The school bell rang and Mrs. Partridge stood up holding a stack of essays they had turned in on Monday. She began walking up and down the aisles of desks, returning each paper to its respective student. "I wanted to let you all know that I am in general impressed. Most boys your age think of Frankenstein as a monster movie made in the dark ages. That general disdain for cheesy horror films comes through in their writing."

She paused and looked up and down the rows of desks and then continued, "That said, I have high expectations for grammar, sentence structure, spelling and the ability to form and defend your own thoughts. That is why many of you did not score marks as high as you might otherwise be accustomed to."

Toby looked down at his paper and his heart grew light at the comment he had just heard. He had received a B grade. Putting aside that she had said she had graded them harshly, he couldn't believe he had such a solid mark on his first essay.

Mrs. Partridge returned to the other side of her desk and grabbed a new book, Ordinary People, and stood there with her arms crossed while surveying the classroom. "You are allowed to revise one paper through the course of my class. I advise you to work much harder, so that you won't have to choose from among the next two essays," she said.

* * *

Toby strolled into lunch with his head held high. He saw Jeff about to leave the buffet lines and headed to grab food for himself. He was about to pass the pizza, when he thought about it, and grabbed two pieces for himself. He sat down, with a smile on his lips and Jeff just looked at him. "What's up with you? You've got a grin like a satisfied puppy, and that's pizza! You don't eat pizza," he said trying to figure out the change that had come over his roommate.

"I love pizza. I just normally deny myself in the interest of good health," he replied. Jeff looked him in the eyes and said, "Enough with the secretive asides. Spill it."

The stocky blonde boy said, "I got a B." He was beaming and Jeff did not see the significance in that statement. As he was about to ask Toby to explain in full, Jimmy Bartholomew walked by and spied them. Jeff waved him over and then turned back to Toby, "You're acting like you just got an A and a letter of recommendation."

"I got a B on my first essay in Literature! Dude, do you know what that means?" both Jeff and Jimmy looked at him and shook their heads. "It means I have a chance of passing this year! And I'm not an idiot savant actor type, but mostly that I can graduate!" he exclaimed.

Jeff couldn't believe he was hearing this. "Toby, we all know you're not dumb. This means that much to you?" Toby nodded and got a far off look before refocusing and explaining, "Oh, yeah. I used to barely make C grades before, and last year I failed some of my classes."

Trent walked up and set his tray down next to Toby, "What's all the hubbub about?" then looking down at Toby's plate he said, "Pizza? Are you doing laps today?" That prompted Toby to leap up and pull his best friend into an aggressive hug while calling out his name. Trent awkwardly hugged him back, patting him on the back and looked at Jeff and James for explanation.

Jeff and Jimmy both said, "He got a B," in unison right as Toby let go and sat back down, all smiles.

Jimmy said, "You sure are hug-happy lately, Toby." Trent blushed while he sat down and Jeff just nodded. Toby tried to be miffed, but he was in too good of a mood to even be embarrassed right now.

"JD and I used to hug all the time. Besides, I know Trent is a hugger too, so it's not weird," he explained.

Jeff smirked, "JD huh? So is that your last best friend before Hollywood?"

Toby nodded, "JD is short for Jerry Danvers, and Jerry is short for Gerard. Don't ask. It's a kids can be cruel explanation."

Jimmy said, "Oh, that reminds me. My roommate wanted to ask you for an autograph for his little sister. I kind of didn't know. IMDB is like pretty accurate right?" They all nodded at him. "Wow, okay. Why didn't you say anything before? You played your acting career off as if it was unimportant," he asked Toby.

The other teen looked down at his hands and said, "I just wanted to make a friend who liked me for who I am, not what I had done, or who the media made me out to be." His other friends just silently listened. Toby looked up at them and said, "No offense. I love you guys, but it was kind of hard at first to get you to treat me like everybody else. 'Toby Armstrong' was in the way." Trent lost his smile as he heard this, but perked up when Toby continued, "But now that you really know me, we're better friends than ever."

He turned to Jimmy and said, "It was just nice to meet you and realize that you were meeting me for the first time, like anybody else. It was even cooler than we had computer gaming in common. These two don't even know what LucasArts is."

Trent laughed and said, "Hey, guys. Just because my inner geek is obsessed with other pursuits doesn't mean you can count it out." Jeff piped up then, "And I do know what LucasArts is. They make that Force Unleashed game!" Upon hearing that, Jimmy looked at Toby and the two of them began to laugh. Jeff felt like the butt of an inside joke, but he couldn't help but chuckle. Then Trent joined in and all four friends laughed off the previous conversation.

* * *

"So, a coffee date? This is actually pretty stimulating, Blaine," William said. Blaine was escorting him and Aaron Neville into the Grindhouse, a small cafe near the school inside a small shopping center. It was popular because it was one of the few upscale shops in an otherwise pedestrian commercial area within a five mile radius of campus. One of the staff looked up and was about to say something when they saw the cane in William's right hand.

"I like to think so. You do like coffee? Right, Will?" he asked, making room as he led them to a table. He didn't look up until William had gripped the back of a chair and taken a seat. It didn't take much for him to worry about what he was doing.

First he'd asked out a friend, admittedly a friend who had taken a keen interest in him since the beginning of the year, but still a friend he didn't know too much about. Secondly, he had taken him someplace outside of his normal comfort zone. Which wasn't a big deal, but if things did not go well, Blaine didn't want to have an uncomfortably silent return trip to Dalton. Sometimes he wondered if they should have just gone to a section of the campus and chatted about each other first instead.

"Oh I love coffee. This place has very interesting smells and sounds too. I can't say I've tasted the blend they make here before," William said. Blaine relaxed, almost sighing out loud. He didn't want his date to realize quite how nervous he was, and he was afraid that he was giving off all the wrong signals. "Blaine," he said, looking directly at his chest.

Blaine hrm'd in response and William continued, "Relax. It's a casual feel each other out thing, okay? Now if you don't mind I'd like their signature blend with two creams and four sugars." William had somehow managed to get a ten dollar bill out of his wallet without Blaine noticing, and was holding it out towards him. When could he have possibly... "You treated me to dessert on Saturday, this is me," he said. Blaine got up and went to place their orders. Jeanie, his favorite barista was there and handled making the coffees while Bryant got his change.

Taking the twin-sized cups back to the table he asked William for his hand and placed the change into it. "Thank you," he said. Then he handed over the cup and said, "I normally wait two minutes before thinking about drinking anything made by Jeanie. She knows what she's doing, but the coffee is piping hot."

"Jeanie, huh? You're on a first name basis with the barista? Should I be jealous, or should she?" William quipped.

Blaine laughed easily and said, "No, I've been comfortable with my sexuality for a good while now. She offered me her phone number because she tried hooking me up with a friend once. We just chat occasionally now."

William smiled and nodded, starting in on his coffee. "Mmm, this is good. Smooth and sweet. Thank you."

Blaine blushed but realized that this was one signal he couldn't transmit to William. "So, do you have any favorites from Broadway? We really haven't talked much about your taste in music," he said.

"Oh, I like Sondheim, and a bit of Webber most. I mean some other stuff is great too, but I really like the musicals where the music is phenomenal. Great composition, great singing, great story. It all works so well in my favorites," William explained.

Blaine looked shocked, "Andrew Lloyd Webber? What about 'Chicago' by John Kander or 'Wicked' by Schwartz?"

William smirked and argued back, "Well I hear they are great to look at, but for me the likes of 'Into the Woods' just seems better."

Blaine couldn't believe he was hearing this, "'Wicked' has some of the most challenging songs on Broadway!"

"So does 'Into the Woods', especially 'Agony'. I hope someday to compose music beautiful enough to be used for something timeless like that," William said.

"You compose music? I thought you were just a piano player and that you brought the keyboard to keep from getting rusty," Blaine said, admittedly he could have asked him why he owned the keyboard, and he felt bad for not thinking of that before now.

William said, "I compose by feel, but my computer records what I play. Then I layer tracks over each other until it sounds done." He blushed slightly and looked down as he said, "I don't actually play other people's works until I've learned them by ear first. Trying to learn songs via braille isn't as much fun."

Blaine finished his cup of coffee and replied, "Well, you learn amazing things every day. I can't wait to hear something you wrote soon, Will." As they were done Blaine decided they should probably head back to allow time for dinner and then studying. "Well, it's time to rejoin the rest of the world," he said with a sigh.

"I can't wait," William said in agreement with his sentiment. Blaine was glad that they still had at least a short ride back to the Academy. He really wanted to find out William's opinion on some of the Broadway timeless classics. As he was dropping their empty cups into the trash receptacle he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Pulling it out he saw that it was a text from Jeanie which read **He's nice and that dog is cute. Are you involved?**  Blaine blushed, looked up to see Jeanie flashing him a thumbs up as he read her message. He fumbled with the keys briefly enough to text back  **I'll let you know if things go well**.

She sent back  **Pinky Swear**  which caused Blaine to chuckle. He walked back to William and escorted his date out of the cafe.

* * *

"So, Jeff. How'd the big date go on Saturday?" Trent asked as they walked to the practice room. Today's meeting was organizational, as the boys had been requested to perform at a retired living community early next month.

Jeff fixed Trent with a prying stare, narrowing his eyes, "And you're asking me about this now because...?"

Trent tried to play off his interest, "We've been busy. So make with the details. We're almost there."

"Oh all right. Everything went well. We sort of hit it off, and we're planning further dates," Jeff admitted. Trent smiled wide and grabbed Jeff, hugging him as he said, "I'm so happy for you!"

He stepped away from Jeff and they resumed their walk towards their meeting, "So tell me what she's like? Does she like music? Are you going to serenade her?"

Jeff held up his hand and smirked as they stopped before the double-doors. "So many questions! Let's see... she's super nice, I think so and not yet," he hurriedly responded. He then leaned on the doors, pushing them inward and barreled inside in an effort to end the conversation. Trent was left standing in the entryway, but it wasn't lost on Trent that Jeff's cheeks had grown flush with the line of questioning. It struck Trent as uncharacteristic of the confident teenager. For once, Trent was practically speechless.

* * *

"Thanks for the outing, Blaine. It was nice, and I enjoyed myself. I don't often get the chance to visit new places around here," William said. His stomach was doing flip-flops, but he steeled himself to not let it show. He knew from experience that involuntary reactions were impossible to hide, but he didn't want to give in enough to blush, or to start daydreaming of him writing music for Blaine to sing. That was way too much to think about right now.

He heard Blaine say, "No problem. Ever. Thanks for treating me. I really enjoyed the trip as well." The hallway was fairly empty. William could hear the occasional student making his way down the hall, and the infrequent door open or close, but for all intents and purposes it was as deserted as it could possibly get in the late afternoon on a Wednesday.

He wasn't sure why he cared so much, but the thought of being persecuted for being gay seemed like a whole new world of neglect he didn't want to experience from his peers. He had plenty of people in the world saying he shouldn't get the accommodations he already had, and just as many people in the world treating him like a mewling, newborn kitten. His true friends were the ones who treated him like a friend and didn't care that he was blind one way or the other. Somewhere deep down, he wasn't sure he wanted to find out which of them were just as willing to treat him the same if he were gay too.

In today's society, it was more common to be smothered with pity for being blind, and to be pasted with hatred if you were gay. Steeling himself, he decided that if he never found out, he'd always wonder, and if he later discovered that he was gay and had passed up the chance to be with Blaine, he'd deeply regret it.

Holding onto all of that emotion, William sighed and gathered the courage to address Blaine further, "I hope you're not doing anything from 5:30 on this Friday night." He heard Blaine shift from one foot to the other, and his breath got heavier. William thought he felt his body heat rise, but that had to be a trick of his imagination.

"My calendar is clear," Blaine answered. William's butterflies came back hard and he looked down as he began reaching into his pocket for his key. He fumbled it towards the lock as he said, "Okay. Pick me up then in your uniform."

He heard a crinkling of fabric which he took for a nod and heard, "See you later." William got the door unlocked as he said, "Later."

* * *

Toby was reading his latest literature assignment, and like always his iPod earbuds were in giving him the distracting sounds of _Battlefield_  by Jordan Sparks. He saw his phone light up and he had to scramble to rip out his earbuds and grab his phone off the bed. He didn't have time to actually look at the number, he just saw that it was a California area code. He sat up on his bed as he answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Oh, Toby," he heard, he was familiar with the feminine voice on the other end of line but he couldn't place it immediately. "It's great to hear your voice, not just watching reruns," the caller continued and all at once, recognition dawned on his face, his stomach tied into knots and he had a sharp intake of air.

"What do you want, Melissa? How did you even get this number?" he asked, his voice low and tight.

"Look, I wanted to check in with you. I got your number from Michael. I had hoped you wouldn't mind," she explained. Michael Quest, his video game buddy. Too bad Michael had been shooting episodes back to back when Toby had informed everybody else that his new number wasn't for his ex-girlfriend.

Toby said, "I'm fine. I'm busy, and you're interrupting my school work. Goodb..." he began but she interrupted him before he could sign off in a huff, "I still love you, you know." Toby stood up so quickly that both his book and his iPod fell to the room floor, the latter still playing a song.

"No. You don't get to call me up a year later, and play with my emotions like this! You broke up with me, remember?" he said, almost yelling each syllable as he was consumed with incensed rage mixed with a deep hurt.

She pushed further, "Are you dating anybody right now?" The door opened and Jeff and Trent stopped to stare at Toby as he paced back and forth, oblivious to their presence.

"Again, Melissa, you don't get to ask me that! I promised myself that I had too much self-respect to chase after you if you came back into my life. So forget it. The only thing I'll tell you about my love life is that you are no longer in it!" he fumed and threw the phone onto the bed, not even bothering to hang up as he sank down to a seated position once more.

Despite his deserved anger, tears were streaming down his face and he silently sobbed as he could hear her calling his name from the height of the bed comforter. He screamed a wordless sound and stood up, grabbing his phone in one swift motion and was about to spin around and release it at the wall when Trent gently but firmly grabbed his hand. Toby looked up into Trent's hazel-green irises with sheer embarrassment. His blue eyes silently searched his friend's face, rapidly scanning for any signs of accusation, or disgust.

Trent carefully plucked his phone from his hand, and hit the Disconnect button. He then switched the phone to mute and safely deposited it on Toby's desk. He could already see that text messages were arriving, almost one after another, as he turned back around to face his friend. A friend who earlier that day had been pleased with himself, but was now broken into shards like a mirror flung carelessly against a wall. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked Toby.

Toby looked him directly in the eyes once again and sat back down. He tried to ignore the buzzing as his phone continued to receive text messages and Trent sat down next to him, rubbing his back as Toby collected himself. He closed his eyes, removed his glasses and pressed the heel of his left palm to his face, in an effort to stem the flow of water from his eyes. He opened his eyes but stared at the floor, unable to look anybody in the eye at that moment.

"A little over three years ago I worked with Melissa Wright as a guest star on 'What Do You Think About That?' We were both temporary, but they weren't one-line roles so it was fun. We had so much fun that week, with our characters spending so much time together on screen, that I asked her out," he said. When his shoulders would stop shaking from the remnants of his emotional outburst, it was like he was dead. He didn't move a muscle except to talk as he related the story.

After a pause to catch his breath. "She initially said No, but she asked me for my phone number. Then I went to audition for Mollywood. I got a text message telling me to meet her that Saturday at Disneyland. Later that same day I got the definitive call back and they told me I had booked the role of Barry. I know it's silly to believe in coincidences, but I thought things were meant to be," he continued.

"Things were okay for a while. We did all sorts of fun things, and it was sort of like having a guy friend, but we also did lovebird stuff like hold hands and cuddle together. It was about two weeks before I asked if I could kiss her. It was six months later when I thought things were going well when she asked me why I hadn't gone any further than that," he explained.

Pausing even longer this time, it wasn't until Jeff sat down on his own bed facing the pair that he continued, "I didn't feel comfortable making out or touching her body like she had expected me to. She said I didn't love her. I managed to convince her that I did. That nobody meant more than her, but that I needed time. I was 16, and a little scared."

"She broke up with me on the night of my 17th birthday party, when she threw herself at me and I still didn't feel comfortable having sex with her," he said and then was silent.

Trent took all of this in and said, "She broke your heart, and over that. I can see why you were so worked up. I didn't think this was weighing on you. I mean the day we met you said you hadn't left a relationship behind. So you thought you were over her, but this phone call stabbed you right in the chest."

Toby looked up at Trent and Jeff, tracks tracing the contours of his cheeks, "Is it so wrong to be unsure about sex? I had just learned how to drive a car! I didn't think I could handle all of that pressure. Worst of all, I thought she'd wait until I was ready."

"How long were you together?" Jeff asked. Trent flashed him a quick glare, but listened as Toby said, "20 months."

"Well," Jeff continued, "that's long enough to think things are stable and to be really attached to another person. Since this is so raw right now, maybe you should go to the mixer they are throwing on Saturday. You could go, meet some girls, and try to forget about her again. Maybe having some mindless fun dating will take your mind off of her."

Toby said, "But my grades? I just started to improve."

"Hey, I know this isn't why you're here, but be realistic. You can't possibly obsess over your ex-girlfriend and maintain high academic scores. At least think about it," he said. He stood up and made for the door.

"Trent, if you're staying here through practice I am locking you in. I don't think he needs any further interruptions right now," Jeff said.

Trent leaned over and turned his back rub into an embrace, shaking Toby slightly to get him to look at him. The blue eyes looked up into his own and Trent stood up and said, "I'm coming, Jeff. Toby, if you need someone right now just let me know. Maybe you should take a nap. Might do you good to just forget about everything." He leaned down and picked up the fallen items, pausing the iPod, and deposited them on Toby's desk as well before walking towards the door.

Toby tried to relax, to let everything go, but he kept seeing her face, hearing her voice, and replaying everything people used to say about them. How they were so cute together, or how they were a matched pair because they were both blondes like his parents. He really didn't think he would get to sleep any time soon, so he got up and walked over to his phone. He opened it, ignored the twelve or so texts from Melissa, thumbed Trent's contact card up and sent him a short text:  **Come back please**. He then put the phone down, sat in his chair hunched forward and hung his head in his hands to wait.

* * *

October 15, 2010

It was a beautiful Friday afternoon and Jimmy was glad that he was at his library work-study. The building had a beautiful annex with gigantically tall windows that let in pure light and provided a wonderful view of the campus. He could see the beautiful leaves that both carpeted the ground and clung to the branches of the oaks and sumacs that dotted campus.

It also didn't hurt that this was his last responsibility in the school week. Jimmy resumed shelving books and making rounds about the tables. There weren't any books strewn about the hardwood slabs, the morning students had probably already seen to those. Instead, Jim dusted the monstrous pieces of furniture. It had the side effect of giving him the perfect state of mind in which to examine his learning from the earlier three periods of classes that day.

He heard, "Hey, Jim," as Toby, his recently revealed big shot friend dropped his book bag on the table he had just dusted minutes ago. Jimmy walked back to the table and smiled.

"Did the silence of your room get to you?" he asked, good-naturedly. He was surprised when the usually jovial boy frowned and said, "Not the silence, no. The solitude." Jim quirked an eyebrow at that but felt that Toby was unlikely to offer explanation.

Still, he couldn't resist being snarky when he replied with the rhetorical, "Um you do realize this is a library and that it is almost an hour till last bell?"

Toby finally chuckled and then said, "You know, I think I need a diversion then, with people." Jim almost laughed out loud as his friend hurriedly gathered up his belongings and bolted for the door.

* * *

Wes banged the gavel and said, "This meeting is called to order. Josh, Joshua, the floor is yours." Two Warblers, a second year and a brand new recruit in his first year at Dalton, stepped forward. The assembled group looked at them and waited patiently to hear their proposal. Junior members rarely made proposals and Josh had been kind of quiet last year, so it was uncharacteristic of each of them to want to ask favors of the Warblers.

Josh began, surveying the room, "Fellow Warblers. As you all know, our student body was invited to a mixer at Crawford Country Day a few weeks ago, and as it is halfway through Autumn, the faculty at Dalton has decided that we should return the favor by throwing a mixer of our own." He paused and raked his hand through his thick blonde hair, trying to find the right way to say what he wished to ask.

"I know that many of you were planning on attending the party with your girlfriends, and others were just planning on attending, but I propose that we petition the faculty to let us perform a two or three song set during the middle of the festivities," he said. Many of the boys in the room began to murmur amongst themselves.

Joshua stepped forward then, "We know that we perform all the time in front of the student body and that we're gearing up for a competition, but it would be a good way to do both this weekend. An opportunity to perform for strangers and friends."

The general talk moved forward, some of them wished to discuss whether the faculty would expect veto rights on their setlist, others wanted to know how much of a time commitment they were expecting, and still others simply said it was a breach with tradition. In the end, Wes banged the gavel on the desk and said, "Let's take a vote. All those in favor of asking to perform?" Hands shot up, the most notable exceptions being Thad, and Trent. Blaine was slow to raise his hand, but he did finally raise it.

"It is decided then. David and I will make the inquiry of the faculty tonight. Let's assume they will say yes and be prepared by working up two songs." Trent looked somewhat green, but he stepped in line and waited for the council to decide on songs.

* * *

Toby walked up to the Warbler's practice room carrying a blue plastic bag wrapped around a flat object right before 5 o'clock and heard the group in high spirits, congratulating each other. He sat down on a bench out in the hallway. He didn't have long to wait as the double doors burst open and the '10/'11 class strode out into the hall. Some of them acknowledged him as they passed by, but few of them did more than nod at him. Toby stood up and walked toward Trent as he lingered slightly.

Seeing Toby in the hall Trent walked up and said, "You were waiting for me?" Toby looked down at his feet and then back up at Trent's eyes before saying, "I really needed your support the other day and you really came through for me. I wanted to get you a small token of my appreciation." He then pulled the object from behind his back and presented it to Trent. Trent got a surprised look on his face as he took hold of the object wrapped in a blue Best Buy bag. He reached inside to pull out Bruno Mars' new CD and his face lit up.

Trent leaped forward and grabbed Toby in a tight embrace, and Toby smiled as he hugged Trent back almost as fiercely. "Oh my god. Thank you, Toby," he said. Then he stepped back and looked at the CD. "You don't have to buy me things for just being your friend. But I was looking forward to getting this album this weekend, so thank you very much."

Toby blushed slightly and said, "Anytime, Trent. I still think I owe you. I was in pieces, and..."

Trent interrupted Toby by wrapping him in another warm hug and said, "I can't have you going to pieces. You're one of the few sane friends I've got." He pulled back again and said, "Let's go eat!"

* * *

Blaine and William stepped out onto the sidewalk, walking arm in arm. They took in the climate in front of the theater and the windy, brisk night air. Blaine looked up and down the street to gain his bearings and grasped his hand to lead him towards the car. They had been required to leave William's seeing eye dog at the dormitory. The theater staff had been very accommodating, but Blaine couldn't help but think that his date was a little disappointed at being treated like an invalid. Still, the musicians had been amazing and Blaine couldn't wait to talk about it with this wonderful young man.

"I had the best time tonight. Dinner was fun, and then the concert was phenomenal!" Blaine stopped and turned to face William. "Thank you so much for suggesting this date, Will," he said as he leaned forward and hugged him to his chest. Blaine's eyes began to tear up, and he smiled as William hugged him tightly back. As they withdrew from the embrace he gently kissed William's cheek and prepared to resume guiding him down the sidewalk.

William resisted the pull, smiled with obvious joy and said, "I don't think I could ask for a better evening." Then he leaned forward, while pulling Blaine towards him. The cane dropped to the ground with a soft clatter as his hand felt for Blaine's cheek and William kissed him. It was chaste, but firm and it stirred feelings in Blaine that he hadn't felt in a long time. Blaine kissed him back, almost gripping the back of his head with an urgency bordering on hunger. He put his arm around William's waist and the kiss lasted uninterrupted far longer than he would have hoped for on the streets of Columbus, Ohio.

Suddenly, William let go and dropped his face, breaking contact between them. Blaine stepped away to examine the other boy's features and saw that tears were starting to well in his eyes.

"Will. William, what's wrong?" Blaine asked, with a soft but insistent tone.

William looked away from Blaine and asked, "When we kissed, did you feel something between us?"

It took no time at all, there was no hesitation before Blaine replied in the affirmative, "Yes, it was wonderful!" His confidence did not seem to reassure his date. He took a step towards William and leaned down to pick up his cane. "Will, talk to me," he finally said when his errand didn't allow him the time to speak.

His worst fears were realized when William divulged, "I didn't feel anything. I've never seen people kiss, but I've read about it. I don't think we did it wrong. I just... I'm so sorry, Blaine!" With that, he began to cry. In-between sobs, Blaine could make out, "I love spending time with you, and your sense of humor" and then, "I adore your voice, and the way your face feels."

Blaine reached forward and put a hand on William's shoulder. "Hey, you were curious, and guess what you're not gay. That just means that out there somewhere is a girl who will make you feel special and loved, and you just have to keep looking," he said. "Let's get back to the car, it's really only about a block up. Can you make it back with me?" he asked. William nodded silently and they made their way there over the course of five or so minutes. Blaine unlocked the doors and helped William get inside.

William was drying his eyes as Blaine got into the driver's seat. "I'm so, so sorry for leading you on. I hope we can still be friends in the future," he said.

Blaine said, "It's already forgotten. I just hope the next guy to come along is amazing, cause you are a tough act to follow, my friend." This elicited the desired response when William burst out laughing.

"Heh, I guess it's good my name isn't George," he said.

Blaine put the car in gear and headed down the street towards the highway on-ramp. "George?" he asked as he brought the car to a halt at a stop light.

William smirked and offered, "Bi-Curious George? I don't know if I'll live down my experimental phase before graduation, but the last thing I need is a new nickname."

Blaine chuckled and said, "Well, you were open-minded enough to give it a shot, and I don't think anyone will hold it against you."

William responded, "So how many other curious guys do you think are hiding at school?"

Blaine said, "I don't know, but I doubt that many of them will be trying to satisfy that curiosity before college. What you did took a lot of courage."

"Courage is overrated. I wish I was able to be with someone as perfect for me as you, right now, right this minute. And I still kind of wish it could be you, because I really didn't mean to play with your heart," William said. Blaine wished he could get over William's insight. The other boy was not going to be happy being around him until he truly got over whatever stirrings of attraction he had towards him. Blaine sighed and said, "We'll work on it. I want to be friends, and not think about how nice a boyfriend you'd be." As they pulled onto the highway he continued, "I'm just grateful for one thing."

"What's that, Blaine?" he asked.

"You didn't ignore the lack of signals and try to pretend for me," Blaine replied, "I tend to be an all-or-nothing, fall hard and don't get up kind of guy. If you'd have pretended and we'd kept dating, I would be a wreck after a revelation like this."

William smirked and said, "If you think I missed something, I can always go attack someone else with affection once we get back."

"No, no, no. Don't go around kissing everyone in school trying to prove that you're sexually flexible," Blaine laughed. William laughed out loud and Blaine was glad to hear the honest mirth in his voice.


	7. Life of the Party

**Disclaimer** : Wishing something like this was happening at Fox, but I don't own what it would take to make it happen.

* * *

October 16, 2010

It was early in the morning, and the sun hadn't even begun to peek over the horizon on it's trip through the sky. Jeff turned over to make out the time on the clock: 5:25 am. He was too tired to move and too excited to sleep. He had probably been lying awake for the last twenty minutes trying to drift back off to slumberland, and failing miserably. He could hear his roommate lightly snoring in bed six feet away. Jeff kept himself quiet for fear of waking Toby early, it had been a small miracle he had forgiven him a week ago when he disturbed his sleep patterns in the middle of the school week.

Still, they were all set to perform tonight at the mixer, and he had plans to invite Adriana to come especially to join him as soon as the sun was above the tree line. Jeff was actually impressed with the song lineup they had planned. They even had a number he could dance to, and show off his moves to his hopefully soon-to-be girlfriend.

He sighed and turned back over to try and wait out the next three hours.

* * *

As Tim walked to the dining hall for lunch, he heard numerous students talking excitedly about the party tonight. It was the topic du jour on everybody's lips, and he felt good about his chances of meeting a nice girl there. I mean, that was the point, right? To put hundreds of young adults who spent entirely too much time studying to pass difficult exams in a large confined space with deafening music and refreshments until they all somehow coupled up. Right?

He made it in the large double-doors and walked toward the line. Already seated he could see several of his friends, but not his roommate. He did spy Blaine in line and ran to catch up with him. "Sorry things didn't work out. I know William is disappointed as well," he said. Blaine just looked over at him, and said, "Oh, yeah. I am still happy that we had such a good time, though."

"Look, I know it was only yesterday, and we aren't the best of friends yet, but have you thought about inviting anybody to the mixer tonight?" Tim asked. He was trying to be helpful, and make conversation, but he felt like he was prying. Only Blaine's easy going demeanor let him ignore the voice in the back of his head telling him to shut up.

"Well, I invited my friend Kurt, but he texted me back that his father refused to let him drive nearly two hours away to go to a party at a boy's school," Blaine smiled as he put a piece of chicken on his plate. "I wonder if his father thinks we're all going to get down and dirty in a ballroom," he said. Tim laughed at that, but Blaine was strangely silent. Then his expression drooped and Tim caught on and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I wonder if I'm leading him on. I like him, and we like so many of the same things that I often try to include him, or chat with him like we've known each other for years. I just hope I'm not tearing at his heartstrings," he divulged.

Tim said, "Hey, it's not like you're flirting shamelessly with him, right? So what if you're really familiar with each other."

Blaine turned to Tim and said, "You don't know what he's been through lately. I want him to loosen up, to be allowed to be his wonderful self, to forget his problems for a while." It was a brief pause before he concluded, "I just don't want to be the only thing allowing for it to happen."

With that Tim held up a hand, "Whoa, whoa whoa. I'm not William. If you're seriously gonna spill your guts to me, you'll have to start over at the beginning."

Blaine led him towards a table and said, "It all started two Mondays ago..."

* * *

Adam strolled to the Warbler's practice room and found his roommate already sitting there, staring out the window, although his homework was spread out before him on the table.

"Uh, Trent, what are you doing? It's Saturday," he offered.

Trent looked away from the window in shock and then said, "I'm daydreaming when I should be studying." He sighed heavily and closed the book, using a pencil as a bookmark. Adam walked closer and saw that it was the Biology textbook.

"Is this supposed to be strangely symbolic?" he asked pointing to the cover of the textbook.

Trent said, "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm supposed to be able to say something profound about single cell organisms as they affect multi-cellular organisms by next Friday."

Adam thought about it, read Trent's body language and said, "You've been my friend since beginning of last year, and my roommate since February of last year. Don't pretend I'd fall for that."

Trent gave an exasperated groan and spilled out, "Okay, you got me. I'm upset about having to perform in front of a group of girls who will invariably come up to us afterwards and make clumsy passes at me, because that's what always happens when we perform sexy numbers in front of a group of girls. And the council chose really sexy songs. Lastly, I can't even hope to impress any of the guys there because I don't know what I want anymore!"

Adam took all of that in, processed it and sat down at the table. "Whoa, that's a lot. I think you need to talk about what the real problem is," he said. Adam knew Trent well enough to know that he bottled things up, let them explode and then broke down immediately afterward. He had to slow him down, so maybe he wouldn't have to pick him up.

"Okay, Toby brought up that Martin likes me," Trent said. He looked up to get Adam's attention and forestall the obvious question, "Don't think to hard, he's a first year and you probably don't know him." He looked back towards the window and continued, "I pretended like I didn't know and that I'm totally uninterested, but I can't bring myself to even give him a chance, and not for the reasons I gave before."

"Well, the reason I gave about us being way too similar is true, it'd be hard with Martin and I can see that right off the bat. Sometimes difficult seems worth it, but the prospect of dating just seems dismal to me right now," he said.

Adam said, "So you had one bad experience last year and swore off guys. Now you're back to being your normal confident self this year and you've sworn off guys again? This is becoming an unhealthy problem with you, buddy."

Trent saw the irony in Adam's words and chuckled as he said, "Heh. I always have to be the tortured youth in the center of attention, don't I?"

"You've forgotten one thing," Adam said. Trent gave him a confused look and he explained, "Unwanted attention is still flattering. So get out of your funk, stop pretending to study and get ready to have fun tonight." Trent chuckled at the advice and started packing up his things. During the same time Adam stood and walked to the storage cabinet, found the sheet music he was looking for and headed for the door.

"Adam, sometimes I don't know what I'd do without you," he said as they closed the doors behind themselves.

Adam barely hesitated before saying, "Probably end up horribly bitter and depressed."

Trent punched him in the arm and walked forward, not looking at him, "Would not."

Adam clapped him on the back and said, "Okay, depressed and unbelievably chipper about it." The pair shared a laugh as they headed off to enjoy the rest of the afternoon.

* * *

It was a little before 4 o'clock when many of the boys were helping set things up in the ballroom: rearranging furniture, setting up risers and shifting decorations. Aaron and Carey were moving a table together when Wes walked up and asked how he could help.

The pair finished with the chore they were currently engaged in and then Aaron turned to Wes, wiping sweat from his brow and said, "We've got some table cloths over there. And of course we need to set up some risers on the main stage."

"On it," Wes replied as he walked towards the table coverings. He spied Jeff as he came in the door and waved him over. Jeff ran to catch up and said, "Hey."

Wes led him to the table currently holding the white table cloths while responding with, "Hey. So Lina is going to come. Did you invite the girl you're seeing?" He picked up two table cloths and handed one to Jeff as they turned back towards the far wall.

Jeff nodded, "She said she'd think about it, but I think that means yes."

"We should go out with David and Christina sometime soon. I don't think the party will end more than an hour before curfew over at Crawford Country Day, but we could always go to lunch tomorrow," Wes said.

Jeff smiled but seriously said, "I don't think that'd be a good idea so soon. You and David have been coupled for so long you don't remember the fumbling first weeks before you can even say the word 'girlfriend'. I don't want to screw this up", as they arrived at their destination.

"Fair enough, man. So what about your roommate? Is he coming?" Wes asked. Jeff looked lost in thought briefly but responded, "He said he wants to stay in the room. But he's been moping lately, plus its just too sad."

Wes smirked as he helped Jeff smooth out the first table cloth and said, "So it is true that you suddenly took to playing matchmaker for him."

"He's kind of in a dark place right now. It couldn't hurt for the Warblers to show up and drag him bodily to the party," Jeff replied.

"So it has nothing to do with you being a meddler?" Wes said, leaving the question dangling.

Jeff laughed as they proceeded to the next table and asked, "Now who's being a nosy parker?"

Wes' laughter floated freely and Jeff smiled. "Point taken. Point taken," he said.

* * *

There was a knock at the door and Toby got up from his computer, walked to the door and answered it. Out in the hall he saw all of the Warblers, dressed in their blues, standing there crowded around the door. They took up all the available space and he felt somewhat uncomfortable, as if he were forgetting an obligation.

"Uh... hi, guys. Did I forget something?" he asked. Trent looked him up and down, taking in the faded jeans, and the rugby pullover. "That'll do," he said. Then the closest members of the group reached forward and dragged Toby out of the room. Jeff swept in behind them to close and lock the door and they pushed Toby down the hallway.

"Hey."

"Um... Guys."

"Guys!"

* * *

The ballroom was fascinating. Everybody had done a really great job of setting everything up. Toby had stopped fighting his bodily extraction once they had collectively left the dormitory building. If he was going to be forced to go to a party he wasn't going to pretend like he hadn't strongly considered it. Plus, he might enjoy himself and not have to worry about getting mobbed by fangirls. He didn't have that high of an opinion of himself, but the prior warnings that Adam and Trent had given him weighed on the back of his mind.

He had stepped into the dark room from which  _In My Head_  by Jason Derulo blared out into the hall. Already the room was filled with the majority of the Dalton student population, and at least a hundred girls. As he was escorted into the room by the entirety of the Warblers, many eyes turned towards him and fixed him with differing gazes. He saw surprise, disdain, happiness, jealously, a full gamut of emotion and that was just in the handful he could make out from the shadowy surroundings. Inwardly he cursed, Thanks guys. Now everybody noticed that I came. Still, if he played it off like this was normal, maybe he could go back to being unnoticed.

The music segued to Katy Perry's  _E.T._  while Toby walked towards a group of guys to say hello. Halfway through the first chorus a cluster of girls surrounded him from nowhere, causing him to began to feel claustrophobic. The questions were rapid fire, starting with why he was there, and if he had brought a date, if he was seeing anyone, and Toby kind of blanked and just began nodding affirmative answers and speaking rarely.

"I go to school here," he said. Several of the girls got ecstatic looks on their faces, while others just looked shocked and mouthed the words "No way!" He tried unsuccessfully to politely extricate himself from all of the unwanted attention.

"Um, it's nice to meet all of you, but I was on my way to say hi to some friends," he began. A few of the girls' faces became disappointed as he tried to slowly push his way through, but the more persistent ones continued their questions.

One of the demure girls asked him, "Are you dating anyone, Toby?" He didn't want them getting their hopes up, but he hated to lie even more and admitted the truth, "Right now I'm single." This caused another flurry of frantic comments and crowding.

The queen bee of this set, a red-headed girl with long slightly curled hair with flashing green eyes wearing her Crawford Country Day uniform stepped into his path. She was pretty and knew it, and carried herself with the bearing of a fashion magazine mogul. When he stopped moving she turned to him and said, "Let's go find a luxury hotel, Toby. You can treat me to room service and I can treat you, hot stuff." He didn't respond and the other girls fell silent as Katy Perry faded and Kelly Clarkson's  _I Do Not Hook Up_  began.

"Excuse me?" he asked, to some of those crowding around him it seemed that he hadn't heard that the girl propositioned him. But his mouth hung open and he was staring at her. The more perceptive bystanders could tell that he was somewhat in shock.

She looked at him, and rolled her eyes as if to say, 'Honestly.' She leaned closer, and crossed her arms underneath her cleavage as she fought against the sound system. "I said, we should blow this party and go have a party of our own," she said repeating her intentions.

He blushed, and then sighed, "I thought that's what you said." He stiffened and began to slowly push away through the crowd. One by one, most of the girls stepped out of his way, but Queen Bee didn't seem to understand that she had been rebuffed. Toby felt a hand tug at his elbow and then he heard her say again, "What's it going to be, Movie Star?"

"I hoped that this was just a bad rumor," he said. Then he rounded on the girl and stared at her down the bridge of his nose. "What's going to happen is I'm going to leave. If you want a notch on your bedpost with my name on it, you should go buy a chisel." He then stared daggers at her hand on his elbow and then back at her eyes, causing her to let go of him and step back. The girls surrounding her looked mortified, but not a one of them looked away.

"I believe in having a connection with my partner before contemplating being intimate with them, and that's not going to change for a long time if ever," he said. Then he turned and almost as an aside to the other girls present, he said, "If you'll excuse me," before stalking off towards the wall and the refreshments table.

Toby claimed a glass of punch before turning back towards the center of the ballroom and tried to see when the Warblers were going to perform. It was his intention to leave as soon as he had supported his friends. He saw one of the girls from before, a redhead, but not the annoying trust fund ringleader. She was one of the quiet ones and she stepped forward. When he sighed she raised both hands and held them palm towards him in a gesture of peace.

"I come in peace. I wanted to apologize on behalf of my school. Jennifer most definitely does not speak for all of us." Toby looked skeptical but turned back around and grabbed a glass. It never hurt to try to be polite after all.

"Would you like some punch...?" he asked tilting the empty glass towards her fishing for her first name.

"Clarice," she said and continued, "and yes I would." Toby put his glass down so that he could fill one for her, and turned back around to hand it to her as she closed the last few feet of distance. She graciously accepted it.

She smiled at him, and in the light he could see her dark eyes sparkle. "That was amazing by the way," she said. "Do you handle every rude person like that?"

"Uh, actually I'm pretty shy and don't much like conflict, but I've had a bad week as far as lustful suitors goes," he said. He sheepishly grinned and looked Clarice in the eyes as she asked, "I hope I didn't make a bad impression?"

She shook her head and laughed, "No, that'd never happen. You're too adorkable for that."

He laughed and asked, "Adorkable?"

"Yeah. I'll bet you logged less miles on your bike as a kid than half the neighborhood and were into computer games before they were cool," she explained.

He just shook his head and smiled, "Okay, you've got me on both counts. Don't tell me you're a gamer girl?"

"I have a gamer score of 5022 and I own every Myst ever made," she explained while holding out her fist for him to bump it. He laughed as he gently returned the fist bump to her.

Finally the lighting changed and the music faded out without being immediately followed by a new song. Toby looked up and saw the Warblers arrayed in performance formation on the stage. He turned to Clarice and said, "Come on, my best friend is about to perform." He unconsciously grabbed her free hand and began to lead her through the crowd to the front of the dance floor area. Clarice blushed as she rushed past kids on all sides being led by the celebrity.

They stopped right near the front and when Toby dropped her hand she looked up at his face and he was smiling ear to ear, with his attention focused on the group. Josh, a tall blonde, walked up to the microphone and explained what was going on.

"Ladies and gentlemen. We are the Dalton Academy Warblers, and we would like to entertain you at this social function with a selection of two songs," he said. He then stepped back in line and the Warblers dipped their heads. The silence grew as the assembled students stopped talking amongst themselves and paid full attention to the group front and center.

"Let's Get It Started, In Heeeeree," rang out clear through the ballroom. Carey came in with a beat box bass line. The Warblers began bobbing in time to the tune and several of them picked up the backing vocal.

"And the Bass Keeps Running Running and Running Running and Running Running and Running Running and Running Running and Running Running and Running Running and Running Running And."

David stepped forward and began rapping, "In This Context, There's No Disrespect, So When I Bust my Rhyme You Breaks Your Necks. We got Five Minutes For Us To Disconnect, From All Intellect and Let The Rhythm Affect."

The Warblers as a group took one step forward, the boys in front dancing on the stage with the rest one riser below where they started. The audience went wild, jumping up and down and dancing. The group reached the chorus and threw up their fists while dancing left and right with large steps. The performance was amazing, and well received from where Toby was at near the front of the crowd.

At some point during the song, Carey was handed the microphone and he laid down a loud series of bass beats, with Adam providing a melodic bass line, as they segued into their next number. Blaine leaped forward and sang to the crowd, "I'm Bringing Sexy Back, Them Other Boys Don't Know How To Act." He was really throwing himself into his performance, making eyes at all of the front row audience members, and moving his hips in time as he danced.

"I Think You're Special, What's Behind Your Back?"

"So Turn Around and I'll Pick Up the Slack."

Nick sang out, "Take 'Em to the Bridge!" and all the Warblers leapt off the risers and headed toward the floor. The crowd made room for them as they continued singing, while dancing right in front of the audience.

Several of the Warblers danced with girls in the front row as they finished the song. Shortly before the last line of the chorus they managed to make their way back to the front of the stage and stopped in formation and silence looking at the audience. There was a pregnant pause and then the applause was thunderous and students rushed forward to congratulate them on a performance well delivered.

* * *

Clarice was a good dancer and she didn't wonder about the dynamic of dancing first with Toby and then his best friend when he disappeared shortly to rehydrate. She leaned forward and asked loudly, trying to be heard over  _DJ Got Us Falling In Love_ , "So, you do your own choreography and arrangements? That's awesome!"

Trent laughed and replied just as loudly, "I just make sure not to trip over anybody or anything."

"But what about a teacher or coach?" she asked.

"Nope. Never has been, probably never will be," he explained, basically yelling.

She smiled and said, "I thought the songs were good. I heard that you sing dreamy harmony-based songs, but those rocked."

Trent blushed, not that the color of his cheeks was very visible at the moment, and smiled. Toby returned and began dancing with both of them.

"What'd I miss?" he yelled.

"Just your awesome new friend making me feel great about myself!" Trent yelled back.

Toby smiled.

* * *

Adriana looked stunning to Jeff tonight, she had come dressed in her school uniform but she put many of her classmates to shame. They had been dancing together for the majority of the night, after the performance, and chatting in between songs as best they could manage. As the last song of the night ended and the lights came up to full brightness, she led him over to a pair of chairs situated against the wall.

Jeff smiled and said, "I'm glad you came after all." They sat down side by side, and she smiled at him.

"It was my pleasure. You told me you were in the show choir. You didn't tell me you all were so good," she said.

He laughed and said, "Maybe I wanted an honest opinion for my after-action report."

"Well, I know what your teaching focus should be. You all have so much talent, and I can see how hard you work," she said. She put her left hand over his right hand as it rested on the armrest of the chair. She amended, "I wish tonight could last longer."

Jeff turned his hand over underneath hers and raised her hand to his lips, "I wish the same." He then kissed the back of her hand, while looking her in the eyes. She blushed but said, "That's so nice, but my lips are up here."

"I didn't want to make presumptions, Adriana," he said. They stood and linked their hands together as they looked deep into each other's eyes.

She smiled and said, "Smart. Gentlemanly and smart. Well, how about a hug goodnight?"

"Yes, please."

They leaned together and gave each other an extended hug, with Adriana closing her eyes and planting the side of her head firmly on his chest.

"Good night, Jeff."

"Good night, Adriana." She stepped out of the hug and he allowed her to trail his left arm behind her, still lightly clasped in her right as she moved towards the door. They finally disengaged and she turned to walk away.

Toby and Trent walked up and waved, but Toby followed Jeff's gaze. "Whoa, was that Adriana?"

Jeff sighed and said, "Yes". Toby looked back and saw her wave in their direction and the answering wave that Jeff sent back to the brunette girl in the doorframe.

"What about you? Who was that cutie hanging out with you all evening?" Jeff asked.

Toby smiled and said, "Her name is Clarice. We exchanged phone numbers. She's really cool." Jeff lightly punched him in the shoulder and smirked as Trent clapped him on the shoulder.

"Congrats, man. Here you were not trying to meet anyone, and you got a girl's number," Jeff replied. He turned to Trent, "So how many did you gather this time."

Trent smiled and said, "I am pleased to say that I only got hit on three times after that sex-laden performance, as all of them were female." He paused to search the dance floor until he saw the lead soloist chatting with a few friends and said, "I'm sure Blaine got a bucket full of them after that second number."

Toby smirked and then reached into his pocket to pull something out. He grinned wide and said, "Oh, my god. You were so great. Here, call me sometime," as he handed Trent a folded up piece of paper.

"You know the point isn't to hand your friends the papers with the phone numbers on them," Trent replied with casual disinterest evident on his face.

Jeff laughed and Toby smirked and said, "I thought you wanted some guys to hand you phone numbers? Can't take a joke, huh? Give it back then."

Trent deadpanned his response, "Oh, I might call her. She's fun. I don't have enough girlfriends." Then he started walking away.

Toby laughed and winked at Jeff before running after him, saying, "Hey, give it back!" Trent took off in a jog, laughing and looking back at Toby as he chased after him.

Jeff looked at the two run around the room like a pair of 10-year olds and just shook his head. What was worse was Jeff knew full well that Toby had already put the number into his phone. This was just them goofing off until a faculty member caught them at it. Still, it was good to see his roommate in high spirits. Jeff turned away as he could see Trent laughing while holding the slip of paper over his head and taunting Toby with it, forcing the shorter boy to go up onto his tip toes in an effort to reclaim it.

* * *

Trent lay in bed staring at the ceiling after the cleanup was all done and the ballroom had been restored to a semblance of order. The faculty had let them head out shortly before 10, and he had immediately returned to the room, gotten ready for bed and closed his day.

His best friend had made the first steps on his way to getting over his ex-girlfriend, and he thought that someone like Clarice was just the person to help him do it. It was a good thing, especially after Toby had nearly come apart at the seams on Wednesday. He should be happy for him, ecstatic even. So why wasn't he pleased?

It was true enough that when he had first met Toby he had a bit of a celebrity crush on him. What red-blooded, blog-obsessed, American, teenage boy wouldn't have? Well, if he were gay, that is. But that had faded a long time ago. His best friend wasn't the collection of accolades, movie clips and facts that Trent had read so much about. They were true friends. And yet, he couldn't help wondering if things would go as well as hoped for Toby and Clarice.

Maybe he was just expecting the reduction in available time to hang out with his friend on weekends. Trent thought to himself, that must be it. They had such a great dynamic, and Toby was probably going to spend every Friday night and Saturday with her now. He smiled inwardly and thought, it would work wonders for him. And if Toby is happy, I should be too. Maybe I should think about dating again myself.

Trent guessed that everybody else would be in their floor lounges until midnight or 1 a.m. So he decided that he should try to get to sleep and ignore all of this until a later date. He shrugged off the comforter on his bed and went in search of his drowsiness pills. Taking one he put everything away and headed back to bed. Thank God for over the counter medicine, he thought to himself as he bunked back down and closed his eyes.


	8. All is Fair, Part 1

**Disclaimer** : Glee is a television program produced and owned by Fox. I do not intend any threats to that ownership with this story.

* * *

October 19, 2010

Clarice came over after classes to chat with Toby. "I am glad you also thought this was a good idea," she said.

"Well, I can only imagine how fast the gossip blogs would ramp up if I visited you at your school, what with putting expected callers on lists at the door and everything," he responded. The two of them were walking on the Dalton Academy grounds, looking at the colorful leaves woven into the green carpet of the estate.

"Yeah, might as well wait until we're official before letting everyone think we are," she said. Toby smiled and looked away, and this shy side to him only made her smile as well. "So, tell me something new about yourself. I'll tell you something about me," she said. Clarice's smile widened, and her brown eyes lit up.

Toby looked lost in thought and then smiled, "It feels like we've chatted so much because of texting, but I guess I never told you that I'm a cat person, but I'm allergic to anything with fur. You should have seen me when my parents got our last cat, Tiger. People claimed they couldn't understand a word I was saying."

Clarice smirked and said, "So you were all stuffed up, huh? Were you snuggling Tiger from day one?"

He nodded and said, "Yeah, I was 14 at the time, and our previous pet had died six weeks before, but I guess I was used to her."

Clarice laughed and commented, "I bet you were so cute."

"Do you make all your guy friends blush, or is it just me?" Toby asked and she looked over and saw that he was indeed turning red. She just laughed at that, and they walked underneath a large oak tree.

"Okay, I have four brothers, all older than me. I had to learn how to push back at an early age, which made me confident, but now they are over-protective of me, so it's hard to bring home any boys I like," she said.

Toby said, "Thanks for the heads up?" asking it as a rhetorical question. Clarice just laughed and playfully pushed him.

"You're fine here. One of the advantages of going to private school but still having a car. I can date whoever I want," she explained.

He nodded and they stopped at one of the few benches in this area of the grounds. Toby took her hand to lead her over and sat down on the bench. Clarice tucked her skirt underneath her legs and sat down next to him. Then she used her free hand to smooth back her hair. She blushed slightly as she looked away. Toby looked confused, then saw that he was still holding her hand, let go and began to blush himself.

"Um... I also like movies, I mean going to see them. Having worked on one hasn't made me stop being a fan," he explained. He raised his gaze to look over at her and saw that she was looking back.

"I'm looking forward to Black Swan, but most everything coming out now is horror related," Clarice replied.

Toby said, "Aw, but horror films are great. They are so cheesy, and when the killer comes around the corner my heart starts pumping and sometimes I scream like a girl."

Clarice laughed heartily at that, and said, "Ok, I might pay to see that. But I get to pick the horror flick."

Toby grinned and then turned to face front, closed his eyes and began repeating, "Please pick Saw 3D. Please pick Saw 3D. Please pick Saw 3D." She chuckled and poked him in the arm, "How about we go see Jackass 3D instead, seeing as it's already in theaters."

Clarice then stood as Toby immediately winced and said, "Are you sure? I kind of have an aversion to watching guys take hits to their crotches for an hour and a half straight." He got to his feet to join her as they began the walk back to the main building.

Clarice smirked, nodded and replied, "It's a power thing. Get's me off."

"No way, did you just quote American Dad!" he said.

She smirked as they walked on. "I've never met a girl who actually watches Seth McFarlane comedy shows," Toby said.

Clarice replied, "And I've never met a boy who admits to screaming like a girl in scary movies."

Toby laughed and said, "I thought the whole point of getting to know each other was being really honest?"

She responded, "Well, normally the point would be for you to bare you soul to me so that I could determine your worthiness, while I would simply be mysterious to enhance my allure."

"So, quoting off-beat cartoon comedy shows is mysterious, huh?" he asked.

"Oh, no. Being mysterious is me dropping hints that you should pick a place to go to dinner tomorrow night," she answered.

Toby smiled and leaned closer, put a somewhat cheesy grin on his face and asked, "So, Clarice, do you think you might enjoy going out to eat tomorrow night?"

"Why, Toby. I'll have to check my social calendar...," she said, pantomiming looking at an imaginary book in her left hand, then continued, "oh look at that, I'm free," she said with a smile. They came to a halt as they arrived back at the parking lot. Clarice leaned over and planted a kiss on his cheek. Then she waved as she walked away, and Toby waved right before he turned towards the main building.

* * *

Trent was sitting on the bench seat beneath the bay window facing the parking lot. He saw Clarice and Toby walk up, and saw her kiss him, although from this angle he couldn't tell what kind of kiss it was, just that it was a short one. He furrowed his brow and stood up as he saw Toby walking towards the nearby door. The door shortly opened to admit his best friend and Trent walked over.

"Hey, so how are things going, you know between you two?" he asked as Toby fully entered the hall.

"Nice. So, are you ready for play practice, Mr. Timms?" Toby said, all smiles. He stepped in line with Trent and they began the trip to the auditorium.

Trent gave Toby a scathing look as they walked down the hallway, "Oh no you don't. Details. Go!"

Toby chuckled and said, "I like that Clarice is not stereotypically girly. She's also into stuff I like. We're going to dinner tomorrow night."

Trent heard the last sentence and his expression blanked for a second, but then he smiled wide and grabbed Toby in a side-hug shaking him slightly, and said, "That's great news! A dinner date!" Toby bobbed his head in agreement and Trent let go as they processed further along the way to their mutual destination. However, Trent couldn't help but force a backwards glance towards the window he had left behind as he lagged slightly behind.

* * *

"No, no, no. Martin. Trent is pretending to seduce you by playing the role of a female prostitute, but it's as a joke. I realize that speaking in french makes it harder to understand the necessary emotion, but his character is not the least bit serious about it, and your character up until now has been a flagrant womanizer. You should also view it as a joke. If this is a situation of your real hormones affecting the performance, tell me now and I'll strike the scene," Ms. Appleton said.

Martin sat up on the table and said, "What do you mean my hormones are affecting the performance?" He then leapt off to walk towards the edge of the stage, "I will have you know that even if you had put in a scene with Dakin romancing a woman, I would be totally professional."

Ms. Appleton frowned, as everyone on the production knew she was playing the role of Mrs. Lintott and that there were no other female characters in the play. Martin was challenging her in an area where she could never force him to prove it. Trent thought it was all a bit like a little dog barking at a larger one, but, he had earned his place as the lead, so he didn't know how much rope she would let him have.

Trent bit his tongue, but he was enjoying this a bit too much. Martin Lockey was of a height to match him, thin, had light brown hair and brilliant blue eyes. He also had a chip on his shoulder and enough ego to match your average U.S. senator. For a sixteen year old that was a lot. He didn't know what it was about him that intrigued Martin so much, but he was definitely letting his gaze wander when he should be expressing suppressed laughter.

Ms. Appleton said, "Very well then. Do try to get into your role more. Would it help if we ran the lines in English instead? I have alternate lines, but that was because I expected your pronunciation on the whole to be atrocious. However, I found that some of you actually pay attention in French class."

Martin continued to exude defiance, "I will speak the lines in whichever language you prefer, Ms. Appleton. However, I would prefer to perform the play as written. We've already excised the scene at the end where Dakin propositions Mr. Irving. I don't think we can do with any more edits for lesser reasons than abject propriety."

"I wish you were as enthusiastic about taking notes as you were about the play's substance and meaning. Very well, everybody take it from the top of the scene," she said, somewhat ruefully. Satisfied that he had gotten his way as the lead actor, Martin went back to his mark.

Trent looked pleadingly over at Toby, who was watching from the sidelines as this wasn't practicing lines but rather an actual rehearsal. Toby just uncrossed his arms, pressed his index fingertips together and made kissing motions with his mouth. Trent about burst into laughter as the scene began, but he pulled himself together to speak his first line.

* * *

"I can't believe you honestly believe we can trot out some Josh Groban and win Sectionals!" Jeff yelled.

"It's a lot better than 'Dr. Worm'! College radio is not going to win us any competitions," Nick yelled back. He turned towards Carey and said flatly, "And we're not going to sing any Fall Out Boy," and turned towards Trent as he raised a hand, "And no Beyonce either!"

Trent pushed back, "'Sweet Dreams' would win us Sectionals, you're just afraid!"

Nick screamed, "I'm not afraid!"

Josh stepped forward, "I agree that Beyonce won't work. We need to sing something fun, and hip. 'Sweet Dreams' is good, but it's about obsession."

"One Week?" Adam offered, but the rest of the Warblers groaned in unison.

As the arguments resumed the council members, who had been sitting watching the proceeding and rarely trying to pull things back towards order without ending the conversation ceased watching and Wes slammed the gavel to the desk. The Warblers continued to yell at each other until he slammed it home twice more.

"And this is why we pick the songs. You guys argue enough when we tell you what's going on. Okay this experiment is over. Everybody is dismissed. We'll decide on possibilities. Until then, go eat dinner and try to remember that you're all friends!" Wes said, obviously at his wits end.

Jeff walked up to Trent and said, "Let's go off campus. I want something for dinner that might cheer me up after this debacle."

Trent smiled and put his arm around Jeff's shoulder, "All you had to do was suggest it. I'm so sick of these walls right now."

Jeff nodded and they began to walk out as he said, "Let's go grab Toby and figure out what sounds good."

Trent shook his head and said, "He's on a date tonight. Unless you were suggesting we go spy on our friend..."

Jeff smirked and looked Trent in the eyes. "Do you have a clue where they are headed?" he asked.

Trent stepped away from Jeff, but turned to face him as he shook his head, "None, but I don't think he's left yet. We could tail his car."

Jeff said finished, "I'll try to wheedle the answer out of him when I get to the room. You go and change into something inconspicuous. I'll meet you at the parking lot."

Trent said, "Gotcha. Operation Overwatch is a go."

Jeff replied, "Why do you get to name the plan? Damn it, Overwatch is a cool name too."

Trent said, "Duh, I've been watching action spy films for a decade." Jeff gave him a shocked look and he continued, "Hey, James Bond was hot before he had abs that could cut you."

* * *

"Old Bag of Nails is wonderful. Where did you hear about this place?" Clarice asked Toby as they were seated.

He looked down shyly and replied, "I just looked on the internet. It had a good rating and the menu sounded good." He smiled as she looked through the menu, "I know it's not a true local eatery, but everybody seems to go to Breadstix and this is different. So I figured it'd be a nice change of pace."

"Oh, I approve, Toby," she said as she continued to look through the menu.

Six tables away, Jeff and Trent were seated at a table looking at the couple. Trent wore a brown sweater over his white button-down shirt and jeans, while Jeff wore a sky blue t-shirt, and jeans, with his brown leather jacket slung over the seat back. Trent said, "I still can't believe you told me to be inconspicuous and you came out wearing that bad boy outfit."

"Trent, with my hair, if I attempt to dress nonchalantly, it's obvious that I'm trying too hard," Jeff responded, while looking through the menu. "I just didn't want you showing up in your blues, which admit it, you probably would have worn if I hadn't asked you to change," he said. Trent looked miffed at being reminded that both parties being tailed can spot a school uniform from a mile away at this point.

"I wouldn't have forgotten, Jeff. Anyway, try not to do anything else to stand out, okay?" he said. The two of them had asked to be seated a good fifteen minutes after Toby and Clarice had made their way inside. They had managed to not walk right in front of their table when they were seated, and even luckier their table wasn't directly on the way to the restrooms either.

Still, it looked from here like the lovebirds were having a good time. Toby was animately talking, using his hands for emphasis and Clarice was laughing. Jeff smirked and looked like he wished he had heard the joke. Trent was more neutral, keeping his smirks reserved for the few times tonight Jeff had actually said something hilarious. He spoke up without looking at Jeff, finding the menu more intriguing for some reason, "You know that if he finds you spying on his first date, he won't forgive you so easily."

"Well what about you, Mr. Best Friend? I'm sure he won't be happy you're here either," Jeff spat back, suddenly taking an interest in the entrees on page two.

Trent sniffed and looked over the salad entries and said, "I didn't drive here. I have the perfect alibi."

Both of them froze as they heard, "You only need an alibi if you're accused of something." They each looked up and saw Toby standing at their table, with his arms crossed and looking between them. "Well?" he asked, looking first at Jeff and then Trent.

"Hi, Toby. Interesting night to go out for dinner," Trent tried.

Jeff on the other hand went on the offensive. Leaning forward, he asked, "How are things going?" Toby's face lit up like a christmas tree and he was about to wax ecstatic about the entire dinner experience when he stopped himself, coughed to clear his throat and stared at Jeff.

"It was worth a try," he said, and shrugged. "We're just concerned about you. We wanted to see that everything went well for your first date," Jeff said, with a pleading tone.

"I've gone on dates before, guys," Toby replied. His demeanor softened, and it seemed that he couldn't stay mad at them for long.

"Not when you knew us, and not since your last relationship," Trent said. Toby uncrossed his arms and looked somewhat defeated, "Why'd you have to bring that up? Okay, I get it. I know why. You two better not hang about for dessert or I will be mad."

Trent saw Toby walk away at a brisk pace towards the bathrooms and he looked at Jeff. "So... they do dessert takeout here, right?"

"I'm surprised you're ordering anything," Jeff said.

Trent just gave him a look, the kind that said Um, who do you think you are, before saying, "They have something called Fried Snickers that serves two. I'm getting it and you're helping me eat it."

Jeff held up his hands and said, "Whoa, allergic to peanuts here. If you want that you'll have to get someone else to help you out."

Trent responded, "Really? I never knew that. Do you have to carry around one of those EpiPens?"

Jeff shook his head and said, "No, I can actually eat one or two of them. I won't die, but it's not good."

Trent looked over as he saw Toby sit back down. It looked like he was apologizing for taking so long. Trent frowned slightly, "He's taking the blame for having to spend time confronting us. Now I feel like a heel. I don't deserve dessert, or even the sumptuous salmon meal I am going to order."

Jeff said, "Deserved or not, I am going to enjoy this all you can eat fish & chips meal." Trent laughed and Jeff smirked back at him. They heard Clarice laugh out loud from the table across the way.

"I guess our meddling wasn't too bad," Jeff said.

Trent just smirked as he said, "Dessert is back on the menu."

* * *

Blaine led William through the door and into the main walkways of Northgate Plaza. "I'm glad you wanted to come with me for this little jaunt, William. Everybody else turned their noses up at the concept of shopping citing it as a school night," he said to his companion.

William walked beside Aaron Neville, and smiled as he said, "It's not that big a thing. I'm surprised you asked to hang out with me so soon after last Friday."

"I said I wanted to stay good friends, and I meant it. Now you have to promise to tell me what you think of any music I play. There are a lot of new CDs out now," Blaine replied.

William shook his head and said, "I don't know why we're not at your computer then. I know it's only been a few years since the iTunes revolution, but people don't have to buy CDs anymore."

Blaine scoffed, "I'd rather listen to an entire track, or even snatches of a whole disk before making a purchasing decision." He shrugged as they walked on, "Less than a minute that someone else picks from an entire song isn't enough for me to make up my mind."

His companion laughed and smiled as they walked down the hallway and stopped at the intersection. William stopped because of a cue from his seeing eye dog, Aaron Neville. Blaine stopped because he literally ran into a teenager carrying a cup of a cold, strawberry flavored beverage and a handful of bags. Blaine knew it was cold because it spilled down his front, and he knew it what it tasted like because his face was not exempt from the drenching he got on collision.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry!" Blaine started, he looked and saw a strawberry blonde boy, who couldn't be less than sixteen but most likely wasn't of college age yet. At least, if he was his boyish good looks meant a long time looking twenty and then an even longer time looking thirty were in his future. However, right now he was sputtering as cold liquid spilled down his front.

"My imported wool coat! The dry cleaning bill for this is going to be horrific," he said as he dropped his bags so he could transfer the cup to his right hand. Once it was free he shook his left arm to get as much liquid off as possible. He hadn't even really looked at Blaine yet, he was so preoccupied with his coat. Somehow, even though the two of them had collided and the cup was in-between their two bodies, the other teen's face and upper torso were untouched.

Blaine stepped forward slightly and held his hands out in a gesture of peace, "If there's anything I can do to make up for my clumsiness just say it. Another beverage, the cost of your dry cleaning, a meal? Just let me know."

As if just seeing the other party for the first time, the boy looked at Blaine and burst into laughter. William looked perplexed and Blaine wasn't far away from the emotion when he looked down at his feet, and thought about the scene from an outside point of view. He was drenched, and standing in a small puddle of liquid, while chivalrously offering to take care of the mistake for someone else. He chuckled at that thought and looked up in time to see the teenager sizing him up.

"I'll take the dry cleaning bill and a side of getting to know you, Mr. Knight," he said extending his left hand towards Blaine. Blaine did likewise, even though his left hand was the dry one.

"I'm Blaine. This is William," he said.

"Andrew," the other boy replied as they shook. "So if your heterosexual life partner doesn't mind, can we head to a restroom now? I foresee that your hair is going to dry in a frizzed out spike do, and you can't pull off that look," he said.

William laughed out loud at this retort and he followed the two boys to the men's restroom.

"You like Kevin Smith films?" Blaine asked as they walked.

Andrew looked back at him, "Who?"

William snickered at this development but nobody said anything further.

* * *

October 22, 2010

"Well, Andrew, I enjoy chatting with you too, but I am not sure I am ready to date someone right now. I had pretty strong feelings for William and that, while not a mistake, did spin my head around," Blaine said into his cell phone. He felt good about having someone local to talk to about celebrity gossip, fashion, and life in general. It's not like he could talk to William's roommate Tim about his date with William. And while he could talk to the Warblers about some of it, his private life was off-limits. He was determined that he not show how blatantly normal and fallible he was emotionally.

Blaine was sitting in the hallway leading to the library, taking advantage of one of the tables left in the wide corridor. He listened to the other end of the line as he watched Trent walking towards him. "Well, I tell you what. I think I have the perfect friend to introduce you to, but you have got to promise me you'll be open-minded. He's a great guy, but he hasn't gone out with anybody in a while," Blaine said.

Trent caught the tail end of that comment and stopped near Blaine. Blaine finished his call, "Alright, talk to you later. Remember, blind dates require an open mind." Then he looked up at Trent and smiled at him.

"Oh no, you've got a glint in your eyes. You weren't talking about me, were you?" Trent said, voicing his dismal opinion of events.

"I was. I made a friend the other day, and he's lonely," Blaine said, standing up.

Trent flashed him a sarcastic grin and a quirked eye brow, "So if he's your new friend, why is he lonely?"

Blaine explained, "He's looking to meet the right guy, and I'm just not ready to date anybody right now. "

"And I'm the right guy? And what was that about me not dating anybody for a while. Does everybody know that story?" Trent asked, incredulous that his past was that well known. Blaine bent over the table and began scribbling a note on the corner of his notebook.

"Warblers talk, Trent. Look, I know you haven't been looking and it wouldn't surprise me if you've got your eyes on someone already, but Andrew is a nice guy. We get along great, and I think you two will too," Blaine said, not really letting him get a word in edgewise. He tore the corner free and handed it to Trent.

"I'll think about it," Trent said, pocketing the note.

"That's all I ask. Have a great day!" Blaine said as he headed back into the Library to study.

* * *

Toby leaned around the corner after entering Trent and Adam's room. "So... who wants to go shopping with me in Columbus tomorrow?"

Trent looked up, "What's wrong? It's Friday afternoon and you're talking about making plans for Saturday."

Toby looked confused, "Hey, I just thought you'd want to hang out."

"But isn't this the point in a relationship when you're supposed to ditch all your friends for weeks at a time?" Trent asked. He was obviously straddling some sort of line. Maybe seeing them out at the restaurant had hurt him.

Toby countered, "Okay, what's wrong with you? I don't have to ignore you just because Clarice and I are dating."

Trent looked him directly in the eye, reading the intense honesty portrayed there and then lowered his glance, "I'm sorry. I'm overreacting. All my other friends did this. Then they told me the same thing would happen to me when I fell in love with someone."

Toby said, "Well, then you've got a while to wait." Trent looked up, jaw hanging open as he returned eye contact with Toby, who continued, "We're good friends and we're enjoying each other's company, but I'm not ready to ask her to be my girlfriend."

Trent said, "So, you just want to go shopping like we used to, to hang out. You're not going to buy an impressive wardrobe or gourmet chocolates?"

Toby smirked and replied, "Hey, I make no promises about any of that. I do however want to spend tomorrow with just my best friend, though." He smiled the genuine expression that Trent had seen on so many occasions. Changing the subject, he asked, "Hey, did you see that flyer Mr. Parkhurst hung up on the dormitory boards earlier today?"

"Yeah, raking leaves for the elderly of Westerville, next Wednesday afternoon. Who knew he had a heart, right?" Trent responded.

Toby nodded and said, "I guess he's a big softy, as long as it's not my geometry homework he's dealing with." Toby shuddered slightly and then stood up. "I've kind of got something to do next Wednesday, but if you wanted to go on the trip, I could ask Clarice if she wanted to come too. Make it a volunteer outing sort of thing?" he asked.

Trent shook his head and said, "No thanks. You two have your fun. The last thing I need to do is hang on in the shadows as you try to get to know each other."

Toby nodded and wore a sheepish grin as he and said, "Well, I've got to go. Clarice claims she likes playing with my hair, but made me promise to head to a salon with her this afternoon."

Trent jokingly hollered after him as his friend turned away, "That's how it starts!" Toby snickered as he excited the room.

"See you at dinner?" he asked. Trent nodded and said, "Sure thing. I can't wait to see your new hairdo."

"Alright, I'll be back by 5:30," Toby said before turning the corner.

* * *

October 25, 2010

Monday started out like any other day for Blaine. He kept in contact with his friend Kurt, whose problems with the bully had gotten better recently. It was dumb of Karofsky to threaten Kurt's life, and he had been expelled. Turns out that had happened on Wednesday night shortly before Blaine and William had gone to the mall. Blaine felt guilty for not texting Kurt in about three days, and when he had sent him a standard greeting a phone call was the response.

He had hoped that his friends had hooked up for a first date by now, and he knew that they had rocked practice every week this month so far. Sectionals should belong to the Warblers, even if that meant that New Directions, the Show Choir Kurt belonged to, wasn't going to make it to Regionals. The entire day had been more or less normal, and now it was time for Warblers practice yet again.

"Hey, Blaine," greeted him as he entered the room. Joshua was standing near the door and had been the first to spot him.

"Hey, Josh... ua. Sorry, I forget that he's Josh so we can tell you apart," he said.

Joshua smiled and said, "Hey, I was fine with Josh M and Josh B, but Trent said that he wouldn't bother to remember the difference. So here we are."

Blaine looked around and didn't see Trent, "Speaking of, have you seen Trent? I wanted to talk to him for a sec."

Joshua shook his head and looked over at Carey, "Hey, Cuz. Do you know if Trent is on his way?" Carey shrugged and shook his head, and before Joshua could be helpful by asking each Warbler in turn, Blaine said, "No, it's alright. It'll keep if he doesn't show up early enough to talk before practice." Then Trent walked in and made a bee-line to a couch while they waited for the hour to strike 4 and for the practice session to officially start. Blaine thought that he had just enough time, and went over and sat down next to Trent. He put his hand on Trent's knee to get his attention.

Trent had been sitting with his phone out looking at something, and looked over at Blaine with a curious look on his face, eyebrow quirked and mouth slightly opened in shock. "So, when's your first date with Andrew?" Blaine asked.

His fellow Warbler's demeanor changed to one of slight annoyance and he responded, "Well, if you must know, I haven't asked him out... yet."

Blaine leaned closer and dropped his voice just enough so he wouldn't be overheard, "What are you waiting for? I'm sure you're in that phase of the relationship yo-yo where you're ready to move on."

Trent dropped his eyes and his phone as he started, "Blaine..." but Blaine wasn't accepting no for an answer. He stood up, patting Trent's knee as he did so.

"I'll set up the whole thing," he said, whipping out his own phone and firing off a quick text message. It wasn't long before he received a response and he sent another one back. "Okay, it's all done. Go to the Grindhouse tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 pm."

"Blaine!" Trent said, standing up in alarm. "Are you saying that you arranged a date for me, for tomorrow, with a boy I don't even know?"

Blaine nodded, "You were dragging your feet. It's only a coffee date. Go. Meet him. See what you think."

Trent sighed, and said, "Okay, but if he doesn't give me palpitations, you're going to be the one who gets woken up late at night by crying. Not me!" Then he walked to the other side of the room. It was kind of obvious that his heart wasn't in the game when Thad called the group to order and began handing out sheet music. Blaine wondered if playing matchmaker wasn't his calling. He'd have to wait till tomorrow night to find out.

* * *

A medium height, thin teen with reddish-gold hair leaned in and touched Trent on the shoulder. He looked up from his table, where he had been sitting waiting for his date to arrive. 3:30 didn't leave him but 15 minutes to get here after last bell, so he had left right after class and had consequently been sitting here for long minutes full of nervous tension. The boy said, "My, my. I hope you are Trent, because I don't see any other guys wearing that navy and red ensemble in here at the moment."

Trent stood up and extended his right hand towards the stranger. He wasn't hard on the eyes, but his face was formed of sharp features, like an impish chin and a pointed nose. A slender hand gripped his as he said, "Yes, I'm Trent. Are you Andy?"

The other boy's hand clenched slightly and he said with a smile, "I haven't been Andy since I was a pre-teen. Please call me Andrew."

The pair of them sat once again, and Trent looked nervously at the scarf, beret and stylish coat he peeled off to reveal the tartan patterned vest he wore over his button-down shirt that came only halfway down his forearms. Feeling underdressed he said, "I knew I should have objected to this time. How long have you been getting ready since school let out?"

Andrew waved his hand to dismiss the notion, "I haven't been near a mirror since sixth period. You look fine. And I do like a man in uniform. Blaine didn't tell me his friend was such an adorable, young man."

Trent began to blush and then steeled himself, "So what did he tell you about me?"

"Oh, not much. He told me that I'd love you, and he might be right. We've only been chatting for a little less than a week, but he knows green eyes are a weakness of mine, and it helps that you're fashion conscious, even if you didn't have time to change," he said.

Trent had never before been in a conversation with someone who he had trouble keeping up with. He really felt like he couldn't put words together well enough or fast enough. "Fashion conscious huh? Why is that?" he asked after smirking slightly, regaining his poker face.

"Because I simply must know what you thought about last month's Fashion Week. I'm going to be a designer someday, and I could never be with someone who didn't support my Art," Andrew said as he stood to go grab a drink. Trent rose and followed him to the counter, feeling like he should order a grande just so he would have more to sip and be expected to respond less. Plus there was the eventual trip to the restroom to look forward to.

Oh god he felt like this was a bad idea, but he couldn't stand him up after Blaine set up this blind date. He'd been stood up before, and he knew just how bad it could hurt. Resigning himself to another forty or so minutes of inane talk, he forced a smile onto his face as he joined Andrew in line.


	9. All is Fair, Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My style is often to insert a break whenever the scene changes, but sometimes I do it when writing sections in a particular point of view. That occurs quite frequently near the end of this chapter.

**Disclaimer** : Glee is a television program produced and owned by Fox. I do not intend any threats to that ownership with this story.

* * *

October 26th, 2010

Trent made his way to the dining hall and wandered through the buffet lines, but his heart wasn't in what he was doing. He felt like a hollowed out facsimile of himself, as he smiled at boys who acknowledged his presence, and said the rare hello. His natural exuberance was missing, and few of the students knew him well enough to know something was amiss. In fact, he zoned out shortly after sitting down and was startled by a voice insistently asking him questions, "So, how do you like Andrew? He's a great guy, huh?"

Trent looked up and snapped out of his internal monologue to see Blaine Anderson sitting across the table from him. How had he not noticed him sit down. Blaine had a tray of food, a drink and everything, and Trent was equally dismayed to see that his own tray contained a hamburger, a slice of pizza, and a slice of raspberry cheesecake. He pushed all of it away except the dessert, disgusted with himself as he stabbed the confection with a fork. "Um... your friend seems really nice," Trent started.

Blaine cut him off, "But what?"

"We just don't mesh, Blaine. I'm sure he's got a future that'd be wonderful for someone else, but I just don't care about what he finds important," he said, getting the truth out in the open.

Blaine looked at Trent quietly for a moment and then asked, "Hit you with the fashion designer goal and supportive partner one-two punch up front, did he?"

Trent couldn't believe what he was hearing. Blaine knew Andrew too well, and it was actually scary to him that so much of their conversation earlier today was coming out of someone else's mouth. "How did you know that?" he asked, eyes narrowing.

"Look, it's no big deal. Andrew tried asking me out earlier, remember? Just get past his facade. I'm sure you'll find the perfect boyfriend lurking beneath the surface," Blaine responded.

"Guys with actual facades don't make good boyfriends," he retorted. Blaine gave him the mature equivalent of a puppy dog stare and waited for Trent to say something more.

"Blaine, I don't know about this. He grilled me for thirty minutes on Fashion Week. Fashion Week!" he blurted out. A few heads turned in his direction, and he thought to himself about how he was going to be even more stereotyped now. Pressing forward he said, "I spent maybe ten minutes skimming blogs on Fashion Week and then I was done with it. Earlier today, I felt like I hadn't studied for a big test, failed it, and was in a remedial class session with him leading me to all the right answers," Trent said, getting the crux of the problem out there. He and Andrew just had different levels of interest in the one thing they had in common. Trent honestly couldn't care less about some evening gowns that he'd never see in person, or men's wear he could never afford, even if he became moderately successful.

Blaine's expression softened and he said, "You read celebrity blogs, you pay attention to fashion, you can sing show tunes by heart, you hate sports, and action movies aren't your thing. Trent, you're not exactly that different from Andrew. So he focuses on fashion more than the Arts? Who cares. He's nice, and he's good looking and he likes you."

Trent was about to become angry when he processed what he had just heard. "He likes me? How do you know that?" he asked.

Blaine fished out and held up his cell phone. "We text each other, remember? He's been saying nice things about you over the last two hours," Blaine said. Blaine's phone buzzed in his hand and he looked at the screen.

Trent disinterestedly asked, "So what's he saying now?" as if he didn't want to know the answer to the question.

"That one was from Kurt. His dad is getting married this weekend. I think you should give it more time. It's not like there are an abundance of gay teens in Westerville," Blaine said as he texted something back to his friend. Trent looked down at his empty dessert plate and contemplated going back for a salad or eating the food he had already taken. Sighing and inwardly yelling at himself about being wasteful he picked up the plate with the plain burger on it and headed back to the buffet for toppings.

* * *

On Wednesday evening Jeff lay on his bed chatting with Adriana about the events of their day. He was truly exhausted, but that was to be expected. Adriana had suggest they have a volunteer date, so they had driven to a nearby homeless shelter and had helped serve dinner to the people there. Still, it hadn't given them much time to actually get to know each other better, because they were hopping around trying to be helpful.

"That experience really opened my eyes. I'm so glad you invited me to go," he said.

"Well, it's not like any other kind of date," she replied. There was a warmth in her voice, he knew it was meant for the people they had helped today, but he imagined part of it was for him. "Still, I wish they had situated us together. We didn't get to speak much except during lulls, and those were pretty scarce once the rush hit," Adriana confided.

"I was feeling the same way," Jeff admitted.

Adriana laughed lightly and said, "Well, I know what you want to be when you grow up. What about now? Do you have any heroes you are currently emulating? Perhaps a singer or famous dancer?"

Jeff gasped in mock surprise, "Why on Earth would you think that? It's not like I'm a member of a dynamic 18-man vocal performance group that is well on its way to winning sectionals this year."

He heard her distinctive laughter yet again, "That's why I'm dating you. Modesty."

Jeff smiled and said, "Well, it can't be my looks. Pffft."

This caused Adriana to burst into uncontrolled laughter. Jeff had to pull the phone away from his head until her guffaws subsided, but he still loved to hear it and to know he had been the cause. "Well, I happen to think you are very handsome... on the inside," she said, prodding him further.

"Aww, I'm hot on the inside? So, as long as we're talking insides versus outsides... you're a perfect 10," he said.

"On the outside or the inside?" she asked, a curious tone in her voice.

"Guess you'll have to find out later. I really should get some studying done before curfew hits," he said. He was sad, but he knew that missing an entire evening of study time and losing his afternoon to practice meant he hadn't done any homework. Still, he wouldn't have made the trade in any other way. His time at the shelter had been wonderful and not just because of Adriana's presence.

"Okay, Mr. Mysterious. I'll see you this Saturday," she said.

"Night," he said.

"Night."

* * *

October 28, 2010

Jimmy Bartholomew was sitting at the table, picking at his lunch as Toby walked up and sat down. Jim looked over at his friend and took in the new haircut he was sporting, and snickered to himself.

"What?" Toby asked as he sat down.

Jimmy smiled and said, "It's your haircut. I still can't get used to you suddenly having bangs that sweep over your face and hang down right beside your eyes. That and the length that's almost down to your shoulders in the back."

"Hey, my hair was always this long, it was just shaggy before. The stylist just cut some away so you can sort of see more of me now," Toby said, defending himself.

"And more of you is showing through all right," came from off to the side as Trent walked into view with a tray full of greens. He sat down and continued, "Are you trying to jumpstart the crushes the gay guys in this school have on you?"

Jim said, "So, does that mean that you're giving up on this guy you've been dating and are going to start stalking Toby now?"

"Bart... Jim, I'll have you know that Andrew is taking me out to dinner tonight," he replied.

Toby took an interest in Trent's statement and leaning forward asked, "So, are things going well for you?" He had a sparkle in his eyes as he waited for a response.

Trent nodded nonchalantly, and said, "Better than the last guy I went out with. At least this one likes me."

Jim said, "Well, congrats. Here's hoping things get even better. Are you thinking about doing anything special this weekend for Halloween?"

Trent said, "Wes wants us to go to his friend's party on Saturday, but I'm not planning anything special."

Jim said, "I meant were you planning anything with your date, Andrew." When Trent didn't pipe up with a rejoinder, he let the inquiry peter out.

Toby smiled and said, "Well, I'm happy for you man." He turned to give Jim a reproachful look, "Whether Andrew can make it on Saturday or not. As for me, Clarice is headed home this weekend, so maybe I'll find out from Wes about this party?" Toby was unreadable, but he didn't have his usual quality of warmth as he congratulated Trent on his success so far with Andrew.

Trent thought about Clarice not being around and made up his mind right then, "I'll text you the details once Wes divulges them. There's no reason for you to stay here all alone on Saturday night, the day before Halloween."

He then turned to Jim, "Are you interested as well? I don't have your cell phone number, but we can fix that."

Jimmy said, "Sounds fun. I'll have to get back to you this afternoon though. I sometimes unconsciously switch two digits when I'm not looking at it."

Trent grabbed a piece of paper and began scribbling on it with a pen from his book bag. "Here, this is me," he said, offering the paper to Jim.

"It's settled then. See you both on Saturday," Toby said, this time in high spirits.

* * *

Trent held the door to Breadstix open for Andrew and smiled as his date walked past him to reach for the inner door handle and likewise hold it open for him. "After you," he said. Trent smiled and blushed as he walked inside. On the car ride over, Andrew hadn't mentioned hemlines, sleazy celebrities or even where he wanted to study after high school. He had actually asked Trent about his life, and more about his interests.

It had almost taken his breath away to hear Andrew ask what it was like playing a role in the play, or sing on stage at a competition. Trent had been modest and simply said it made him feel alive to perform in front of others. Then Andrew made him feel good again when he told him how talented he thought he was. They sat down and were greeted by Simone, their server, who took their drink orders while they stared across the table at each other.

"So, are you thinking about Broadway after you graduate? You certainly have the singing and acting part down from what I hear," Andrew asked.

Trent smiled and said, "No, I'm going to go to Hollywood instead. I know I'll never be a good enough dancer for Broadway."

Andrew looked disappointed, "That's too bad. I know LA is starting to become notable in the fashion world, but I hoped to get into NYU. I wish we could stay in the same circles."

Trent offered, "Well, maybe I can get a role on a TV show or two set in New York City. I just think I'm not butch enough to get on 'Law & Order' or 'Boardwalk Empire.'"

Andrew smiled back and said, "I know you could. You might even get involved with SNL!"

Trent barked out a laugh at that comment, "Oh god no. I'm not spontaneously funny, and you have to pay dues all over the industry for a decade to get taken seriously at an SNL audition."

Andrew said, "Well, it was a thought."

Simone returned and asked them what looked good for dinner. Trent immediately pointed to a chicken alfredo platter. Then Andrew said something that ruined the mood. "Cream? Trent, seriously think about taking better care of your body. I'm having the soup and salad combo." Then he turned to the server and said, "You may want to come back in a few minutes so I can convince my companion to change his mind."

The poor girl walked away and Trent turned his attention to Andrew. His expression chilled as he asked, "And what is so wrong with cream?"

Andrew said, "Nothing, if you don't want to maintain or slim your figure. If you keep eating unhealthy things now, you'll just balloon out at age 25 or 30 when you're no longer as active and your metabolism changes." He made up his mind to pay his way this evening, something that had been up in the air given Andrew's stance on picking him up at the door of the school.

Andrew had made some progress, and Trent could see a better man underneath the vapid exterior he showed off to the world: the real Andrew that didn't crave attention from every corner. However, that one comment dredged up every inadequacy Trent felt about himself here and now. Andrew questioning his meal choice was the catalyst and he wasn't sure how he felt about it beyond being disappointed and nervous. It was a far cry from the ideal he and Toby had talked about in Columbus.

The rest of the meal went by in a bare semblance of normality. Trent changed his order, as Andrew expected he would. And despite the fact that Trent was okay with salad, he had been eating salad at every meal to make up for the calorie binge he had inadvertently gone on two days prior. He was frankly getting sick of leafy greens and vinaigrette. And just like his gusto for dinner, his interest in the conversation and the boy across the table from him had dissipated. He put on a show, but it was only a charade to keep from causing a scene in public.

By the time Andrew dropped him off and reached over to peck Trent on the cheek, he felt like things were still going in the wrong direction. And now they were in territory that Trent didn't know how to navigate. "Get my number from Blaine and text me when you're free," Andrew said as Trent put his hand on the door handle. "I can't wait to see you again," Andrew said.

Trent smiled a fake little smile and got out of the car. He closed it softly enough and turned towards the dormitory and safety. Still, he didn't know how to deal with the feeling in his gut. The one telling him that Andrew and he weren't right for each other, despite the fact that Andrew wasn't a jerk. And how do you properly break things off with a decent guy pretending to be a snarky know-it-all?

* * *

It hadn't taken much time for the group to gather. Trent found Toby, who was dressed up as a mime sans the face paint, wandering the hallway towards the lounge. My goodness, why is it that everybody managed to get their costume made in record time, and I'm here dressed up in random clothes from everybody's closet on the floor.

"What are you supposed to be?" Nick asked as he looked at the hodgepodge of a long dress jacket with patches on the elbows, old jeans, fingerless gloves and a flat cap.

"I'm a vintage 1950s hobo. You know, a wandering traveler person," he said.

Toby said, "Well, it makes perfect sense if you say it like that." He looked Nick up and down and said, "You've outdone yourself dude."

Trent looked him up and down and said, "I don't get it. Who are you?"

"Inside joke, he said, before straightening the short jacket over his white dress shirt and his fake glasses. I'm dressed up as our Lit teacher," Nick said finally.

Trent gasped and said, "You didn't!"

Nick nodded, "I sure did. I just decided not to carry it too far. You know, in case someone takes a picture of me and Mrs. Partridge sees it."

"Well, where is Jimmy? He's the last person in my carpool," Trent said.

"Right here. Sorry it took so long," he said. Jimmy was clad in a naval officer's dress uniform.

"Whoa, dude. Are you sure you want to wear you dad's old academy uniform? And with his commendations on it, too!" Toby said, taking in the total package.

"I've moved on, and hey, it's sort of like honoring him. I'm remembering him at least," he said.

Nick walked over and clapped Jim on the back, "Bart, has the right idea. And honestly, best costume I've seen so far."

Jimmy said, "Thanks. So let's go."

* * *

"Hey, Trent. Sweetheart. There you are!" came from the doorway. Trent looked over to see Andrew taking off his coat to reveal a fabulously shiny outfit. Trent weakly waved at Andrew as he walked up and hugged Trent tightly. Toby looked on with an unreadable look and Trent gave him a sheepish grin. He then turned to Toby and said, "Toby, this is Andrew. Andrew, this is Toby, my best friend." Then he promptly turned to find Blaine. He saw him, dressed in his Dalton uniform, being one of the guests who had opted for no costume, and walked up to him and grabbed his arm.

"Can I speak to you in the kitchen?" he asked. To Andrew he said, "I'll be right back out." He heard Toby and Jim engaging Andrew in 20 questions about his outfit, to which Andrew only replied that he was wearing an original piece designed by himself and that costumes were too pedestrian for him to wear to a party. Trent rolled his eyes and then dragged Blaine along and pushed his way into the one room he was certain he could vent about the situation without looking like a drama queen, or worse a bad reputation.

"Blaine, why is he here? I know for a fact that our host is just back from college, so it is unlikely he invited him!" Trent asked, fuming quietly and waiting for an explanation.

Blaine looked unperturbed and opened his arms as he expressed, "After I heard about your dinner date, I figured it made sense to invite your boyfriend to the party. I knew you wouldn't do it because you'd think of it as party crashing."

Trent shook his head and looked nauseous. "He's not my boyfriend!" Trent said in an exasperated whisper, then he began to pace back and forth. "This is why I don't let people play matchmaker for me. Why I don't let them even give me relationship advice. It never goes my way!" he said, directing heated glares at Blaine as his comrade looked at him dumbfounded.

"Excuse me? Is something wrong, Trent? I thought things were going well between you and Andrew," he said.

Trent fixed Blaine with a new emotion, regret and sadness, before saying, "Blaine, I do like Andrew. He's a decent guy, but we do no belong together! He's got blinders on or he'd have picked up on my signals by now." Trent moved closer to Blaine and dropped his volume again, "I can't even imagine kissing him, let alone calling him my boyfriend."

Blaine tried to put a positive spin on things, "Now, I'm sure you're overreacting. Not every successful relationship starts with fireworks. Sometimes it builds from a spark into a bonfire." He tried to put his hand on Trent's shoulder and give him a reassuring squeeze.

However, Trent was not looking for reassurance. "Blaine, one of us is going to go out there and explain the situation to Andrew, and since he is not picking up on my lack of feelings after our abysmal dinner date I'm not going to chance being subtle if it's me."

Blaine finally saw that this was a lost cause, and straightened his jacket. "I guess I had better go prepare him for the bad news then. I'm truly sorry if my meddling has... what am I saying. Of course it went too far." Trent closed his eyes and gave thanks to the heavens above as Blaine clapped him on the shoulder. Then Blaine turned around, grabbed a pair of drinks and walked towards the living room. Trent did likewise, but waited a few moments longer before heading for the door.

* * *

Trent came out of the kitchen with two glasses of punch and approached Toby and Jim. Toby watched Blaine walking Andrew towards one of the hallways and turned back to his best friend, "Uh, I know you hadn't expected to see him here, but aren't you a little jealous that Blaine is cornering the guy you're dating like that?"

Trent sighed and shrugged slightly while offering a glass to Toby, "No. Blaine is actually fixing things since he pushed this so hard." Toby quirked an eyebrow as he accepted the glass and put it to his lips.

Jim said, "Wait, you were set up with Andrew by Blaine? Besides all that, I thought things were going well."

Trent shook his head, "He had moments of progress, but we just aren't compatible." Trent cracked a smile at that and began sipping on punch. "I mean superficially you'd think we'd be great together. But, he said something at dinner that made me think he didn't want me as I am," he said with a sigh.

Toby clapped him on the arm and said with a smile, "His loss. You're awesome and anybody who doesn't want all of you doesn't deserve you."

They locked eyes for a moment, before Trent nodded and said with a weak smile on his lips, "What's worse is he's not really a bad guy. He's just not the guy for me."

Jimmy moved on to new topics of conversation after looking around. "Oh, man. I wish there were just a few more girls at this party."

Trent chuckled and replied, "There are plenty of girls here, Jimbo."

"Single girls, Trent. Single girls," he said with a laugh on his lips. This caused his comrades to laugh loud enough that they drew stares from those who didn't know them.

Wes walked up, wearing a traditional magician's outfit including tuxedo and top hat, and said, "Hey, fellas. Having a good time?"

"That we are, Wes. Where is our host? We should thank him for having us here," Jim said.

"He's in the living room, why don't you two go on ahead. I want to say something to Trent," Wes said. Toby shrugged and Jim and he walked off.

"Trent, I know you're feeling vulnerable right now, but so what if things didn't work out. Brush it off, and don't give up. There are plenty of guys out there, just for you. Probably a lot of them until you really find a special one," he said placing an arm over the taller's boy's shoulders.

"News travels fast, huh?" Trent said, barely making eye contact.

"Warblers talk. Just don't give up. It hurt last year watching you cope. Your version of swearing off romance is a lot like smoldering anger and sadness. It's not healthy," he said, giving his shoulder a helpful squeeze.

"Yeah, yeah. Well, at least this time I saw the writing on the wall. I wish Andrew had."

"Heh, heh, well, don't worry about it. Have fun, and that'll be that."

* * *

Jeff and Adriana were dancing together in the middle of the floor. They weren't just dancing as if they were in a club, but they were dancing together hand in hand as he twirled her or traded places with Adriana. The entire thing was entirely dynamic and unscripted and it drew the attention of most everyone in the room. Jeff didn't notice as he only had eyes for his date. She smiled coyly back at him and matched him move for move. Unlike several of the party guests, they had dressed up. Adriana was wearing a Princess Leia outfit, and Jeff was dressed up as Luke Skywalker, both from Bespin.

The music changed to a slow dance tune and they stopped and gathered their breath together. Finally, they stepped close and began swaying back and forth while holding each other in their arms. "When you suggested these costumes I was a bit irked, but they are pretty awesome," Adriana said, trying to be heard over the music.

"Well, I do try to give people what they want. Shock value, loose morals, entertainment...," he said, his voice trailing off and his mouth breaking into a grin.

She laughed and said, "If we make it a weird theme to go as siblings every year, next year we should go out as the Tweedles."

Jeff asked, "You can't be serious! You'd get dressed up as Tweedledee for me, and wear a beanie and everything?"

"No, silly. I'd be Tweedledum. Not that it matters," she replied.

"You've got a point," he said.

"What pair of siblings were you thinking? The pair from 'Cruel Intentions'?" she prodded. He nearly choked while laughing and composed himself for a moment.

"How'd you guess I'd go for another incestuous grouping?" he asked, smirking as if it had been his idea all along.

"Hey, I can't help it if my mind is in the gutter today. I feel a little off," she said.

* * *

Toby leaned in to Jim and said, "Um... I'm tipsy."

Jim said, "What? I haven't tasted any alcohol! And how would you know?"

Toby said, "I know. Just cause I don't try to buy alcohol doesn't mean I've never felt this before. Someone spiked the punch and did a great job. This stuff tastes just like punch!"

Toby looked around and said, "How else do you explain that?" He pointed at Andrew, his shiny formal ensemble drawing attention to his antics as he danced without much rhythm or balance in the middle of the floor before literally falling into a stranger's arms.

Before Jim could respond, Toby walked over and took Andrew from the unlucky individual by draping an arm over his shoulders. Then he walked him off the floor. Once Andrew stopped dancing he began mumbling to himself and it wasn't until they were sitting down on a couch that Toby could make out what he was saying over the music.

"I don't know why I didn't just leave. I knew he didn't like me like I like him," he said. Andrew looked over at Toby and stared him in the eyes, "Do you know what it's like to meet someone talented and amazing and smart, and wonderful and you tried so hard that it drive them away?"

Toby's vision swam slightly as he shook his head, but he said, "No. But my last ex dumped me for being old-fashioned."

Andrew's eyes unfocused before returning to make contact with Toby's and saying, "He dumped you for keeping your hand out of his pants?"

"Yeah, she dumped me on my birthday," Toby said.

"That bitch!" Andrew spat out. He wasn't focusing very well, but took in Toby's frame, and face once again. "You're real cute. Somebody will make you their boyfriend soon."

Toby blushed slightly as he admitted to this guy he barely knew, "Um, I am seeing someone, but she had family obligations this weekend."

"See, it's happened already. I just want Trent to like me. He's so nice!" Andrew gushed and Toby couldn't do much but nod in agreement. He agreed wholeheartedly about Andrew's assessment, but he didn't offer any encouraging words.

Andrew pushed with both hands to try and gain his feet. "I gotta find Trent. Let him know what I feel about him," he said as he stood up. He placed a hand on Toby's knee to support himself and he made it to his feet only to stumble forward. Toby stood up and grabbed hold of his left arm and shoulder to steady him.

"Andrew, don't do that, man. End things with... um... dignity," he said, trying to convince the boy to let it go instead of doing something he'd probably regret later.

* * *

Trent had been looking for his friends for a few minutes. The dance floor had thinned out after being jam packed with frenetically dancing teenagers and college age men and women. Apparently rock ballads were off the beaten path for a house party. He had been drinking water, and so was clearheaded enough to see the ruckus that Andrew was causing. He couldn't believe he was doing this, but he felt embarrassed for him as he stumbled about obviously drunk. In that moment, Trent praised God that he was watching liquid calories, or none of them was going to get home safely tonight.

He sighed and walked toward his ex-date, and his best friend. "Andrew, you need a ride home. You're obviously drunk and will get killed if you drive anywhere right now," Trent said. Andrew didn't seem able to focus fully on what he was saying and swayed back and forth as Toby held onto him, looking back and forth between Andrew and Trent.

"Trent! I've been looking for you. I promise to stop trying too hard," he said as he managed to focus on Trent's face. Trent looked down and sighed, he knew that the fundamental problems wouldn't go away even if he gave Andrew one last chance. Andrew picked up where he left off as Trent listened in silence, "I don't want to go back to being alone knowing that a guy like you lives right here. I can't get by without you, Trent!"

Trent blinked and said, "Okay. Andrew, you are way more inebriated than I thought." He held out his hand and politely commanded, "Give me your phone," Andrew made no move to fumble through his pockets for anything, so Trent reached forward to search him and Andrew mistook it for a sign of affection. He grabbed Trent's head with both hands and said, "I love you," before pulling Trent towards him and planting a kiss on his lips. Andrew's eyes were closed and Trent's jolted wide open. He had never been assaulted with such passion before, but the moment of bliss passed quickly as the other boy began to roughly run his hands through Trent's hair and grind against his body.

* * *

From Toby's point of view, the kiss lasted entirely too long, had entirely too much tongue, and caused him to blanche, turning a lighter shade. He also felt like a colony of butterflies was fluttering through the inside of his stomach and he began to feel slightly nauseous. He unconsciously put his right hand on his midsection in an attempt to stifle the oncoming wave of feelings. He didn't know why it affected him, but it did.

The kiss was apparently unwelcome as Trent pushed Andrew away from him, and stumbled back. He wiped his lower face with the sleeve of his jacket and spat out, "Andrew! This is not helping!" Even over the loud music, people turned to look and some gasped as Andrew reacted by stumbling forward a step and lost his balance. It was apparent he was going to fall, and Toby scrambled to grab him and pull him upright. Unfortunately, a drunk human being is unpredictable, and he couldn't keep his balance either. He had just grabbed onto Andrew's elbow and forearm when he slipped and tumbled downward. He inadvertently pulled Andrew off his feet.

It wasn't embarrassing enough that they fell in a heap, but Andrew landed on top of him. The impact forced the air from his lungs, and the dead weight of a teenager was too much for Toby to shift off of himself. That's when he heard Trent call out, "Toby!" Andrew was in an alcohol-induced stupor, and was unaware of where he was and who he was lying on. It took Toby long moments to realize that Andrew was writhing on top of him and fumbling upwards in an attempt to bring their faces together.

Oh, god. I'm about to get harassed by a drunk boy, Toby thought to himself. Then his brain checked out, only to see Andrew flip to the right side off of him and then Trent's familiar face bend down over his own. It took a few more seconds before he could get his eyes to slowly focus on Trent and he smiled.

"Toby, I asked if you are okay? I'm so sorry Andrew started dry humping you like that. He's way too drunk to be here but I don't know how to get him home safe," Trent said in a stream of consciousness while helping him sit up and searching his eyes for signs that he was mentally broken by the experience. "Toby?" he asked.

"Oh, I'm okay. I just felt trapped. Never had anybody fall on me before unless it was for a skit," he said as Trent helped him to his feet. He turned his head to the right to look down at Andrew lying there at their feet. It seemed like the experience had sobered him up considerably. "So, I'm guessing this is the last time I'll see him kiss you," Toby said.

"Oh, yeah. We're done alright," Trent said as he bent down to rifle through Andrew's clothes for his wallet, cellphone or anything that might have his home address or a contact to come pick him up. Trent paused right as Toby murmured, "Good," under his breath. He didn't know if he heard him, and that caused him to grow a sheepish grin on his face.

As he emptied the contents of Andrew's pockets Trent felt a small packet and pulled out a condom. "Oh, my word, someone thought highly of himself before he got dressed tonight," he said as he kept searching.

"Hey, he might have known about the alcoholic punch and figured he'd get some tonight," Toby said with a joking tone.

"That's not funny, Toby. You wouldn't want to wake up half-clothed or naked next to some stranger who told you that last night was amazing and you don't remember anything about it."

"You're right. Sorry I put my foot in my mouth there." He paused as Trent finally found both Andrew's wallet and cell phone and began searching for his driver's license. Toby tried to redeem himself by pointing out, "Of course, in that situation finding a condom wrapper would probably be the only positive thing about that wakeup call," he said as he put his right hand up to scratch the back of his head in an apologetic fashion.

Trent flashed Toby a smirk and then peered down at the ID to read the address. "Oh, good. It's not too far from here. We can drive him home in about ten minutes, 18 if traffic is bad."

"Um... Trent?"

"Yeah?"

"Who's car are we going to risk putting him in?" Toby asked. Trent looked over at Toby and was about to respond, but closed his mouth to think. He had probably forgotten in all the commotion that he had driven the crew here.

"Damn it! I'm not going to suffer that extra little bit of indignity tonight. I'm calling a cab!" he declared.


	10. First Impressions

**Disclaimer** : I don't own anything but ideas and plot. Fox, et al. own Glee, Dalton Academy and the characters from the show.

* * *

November 5th, 2010

Kurt was up just before dawn, putting on his crisp, white dress shirt, a striped tie, and his Dalton Academy blazer. He sighed as he looked at himself in the bathroom mirror. He was as close to a Dalton student as he could look on day one. Kurt agonized over the requirement to wear a uniform, but at least they allowed him to vary things up. So he put a unique zebra lapel pin over his left breast and grabbed his bag.

It was a long drive to Westerville, and even though Kurt didn't have to be there before Noon, he felt that if he wanted the chance to get to know the campus without getting lost, he'd need to use the extra time being early would afford him. Giving himself one last look in the hallway mirror he posed first towards one direction and then the opposite. He at least looked good in this uniform. He couldn't imagine being a boy with proportions that only stripes or flare could help and having to dress up like this every day for multiple years.

Kurt walked towards the foyer of the house and was surprised when he heard a noise behind him. He turned, moments from reaching the door and saw Carol and his father standing there. She was holding a camera and the flash flared as she snapped a photograph. Kurt's eyes focused on their placement near the stairs leading up to the home's second level.

"You are just so handsome, Kurt," she said, tears in her eyes as she stepped forward and pulled him into a hug.

"You two didn't need to get up and see me off. I was careful not to make a lot of noise. Finn is still asleep," Kurt said, he focused first on his father and then on his new stepmother as she released him and brought her eyes to meet his.

"We wouldn't miss this for the world, Kurt. It's a new day. You're headed off to a great school, with classes that can hold your interest, and staff dedicated to your safety and education," Burt said before holding his arms open and beckoning his son into them. Carol stepped away, but pushed Kurt into his father's arms, so he went where he was guided.

"I was always satisfied with half my classes at McKinley, dad," he said as he embraced his father.

"Drive safely, and slowly. Your navigator can get much better gas mileage if you remember to slow down," Burt said. He smirked and added with a shrug, "Plus, it's harder for you to end up in a ditch which would cause me and Carol to worry about you."

Kurt laughed and said, "Dad, I'll be careful. Aren't I always?" He stepped once more towards the door and paused briefly. "I'm so lucky to have parents like you. I want you to know how appreciative and grateful I am," he said, smiling slightly as he turned to the door and extended a hand to the knob.

"Warblers tryouts and practice run till 5, so I'll be home a little late tonight. Don't start dinner without me, unless Carol is the one cooking. I don't want you or Finn setting the kitchen ablaze," he said with a smirk, and pulled the door open.

"Hey, even I don't supervision to boil water!" Burt replied, a smirk on his lips as the door closed behind Kurt.

* * *

Kurt walked into the first day of geometry and sat down. He began to open his bag and dig out his notebook when he really looked at one of the students, a stocky, blonde boy sitting against the wall. There was something about him that struck him as familiar, but he had only met the Warblers before transferring here. He'd never seen the boy walking the halls up till now. Kurt resigned himself to talking to him later and seeing if that would stir his memory, when it hit him.

Toby Armstrong? Here? The rest of his first day of geometry class was odd. He couldn't concentrate on what Mr. Parkhurst was saying, and kept occasionally sneaking glances back at Toby. It was definitely him, and Kurt suddenly wanted to know every piece of gossip there was to know about the situation. He couldn't wait to text Mercedes all about it later today.

Class flew by, and Kurt felt guilty that he had practically no idea what he was supposed to have learned today. Still, the period ended and everybody began to gather up their belongings. He smoothed his jacket, and more surreptitiously smoothed down his hair, before getting up and walking over to Toby's desk. He extended his right hand as the celebrity stood up and said, "Kurt Hummel. I'm new here."

Toby smiled, and readily clasped Kurt's hand. He shook it as he said, "Tobias Armstrong, but most everybody calls me Toby. I was new two months ago, but if I can help you find your way around, don't hesitate to ask." Toby didn't immediately let go of his hand as he looked Kurt up and down.

He cocked his head slightly to the side and said, "You're pretty young. You must be pretty smart to be in this class. Either that or I'm definitely subpar." He laughed at his own expense and Kurt didn't know exactly what to do as Toby let go and picked up his bag.

Kurt did the math in his head, figuring wikipedia entries on age and when he read them, while walking with Toby to the door, "Don't feel the least bit intimidated at taking geometry as a senior." Toby just followed him out and listened. "I hear most math-loving students take calculus their senior year, but right now, this is all I can contemplate. I don't know what I'm going to use for my math requirement next year."

Toby nodded, smiled and said with a laugh on his lips, "You'll probably get weird looks if you refer to yourself as a junior. Call yourself a second year. That I did learn so far."

"Okay, I guess," was all Kurt had to respond with. Toby smiled and nodded before saying, "Well, I've got to head all the way across the building. It was definitely nice to meet you, Kurt." He waved as he began walking away. Kurt finally let out the breath he didn't know he had been holding in. Then he looked at his right hand and thought about how long Toby had held onto it. Would his life after college be filled with moments like those, meeting celebrities and being treated like a potential equal?

* * *

Kurt walked into the Warbler's practice room and looked at the teens arrayed throughout the room. Considering most of these boys had met him when he came to spy on them, the expectant looks he was receiving were intense. He imagined all of them were saying to themselves, 'Okay, so if you were worried enough to spy on us, do you have what it takes to even be here?'

He took center stage in the middle of the room, and nodded nervously to one of the boys he hadn't been introduced to yet. The medium height, black haired caucasian boy pressed play on the boom box and Kurt said, "I Wanna Talk to You." A voiceover came from the sound system and Grace Kelly answered, "The Last Time We Talked Mr. Smith, You Reduced me to Tears. I Promise You That Won't Happen Again," over the catchy opening beats of Mika's eponymous song.

Kurt easily sang out, "Do I Attract You? Do I Repulse You With My Queasy Smile?"

He put some sass in his voice as he continued, "Am I Too Dirty? Am I Too Flirty? Do I Like What You Like?" and began to sway on his feet in time to the beat.

"Yeah, I Could Be Wholesome, I Could Be Loathsome. I Guess I'm a Little Bit Shy," Kurt sang.

"Why Don't You Like Me? Why Don't You Like Me Without Making Me Try?" he emoted while flipping his head to the side, a smile on his face looking over the assembled boys towards the window.

Without a pause he shifted to the chorus, and began walking around the room, "I Try To Be Like Gracy Kelly, Mmmm, But All Her Looks Were Too Sad." As he sang he coyly looked down and to the right, with his left hand held gracefully near his cheek.

He belted out, "So I Tried a Little Freddie, Mmmm, I've Gone Identity Mad!", and then shifted into an upper register to deliver the rest of the chorus without using a true falsetto.

He picked up the pace and was almost skipping as he danced through the room, around the Warblers, never stopping to look at any one of them too long before moving on, "I Could Be Brown, I Could Be Blue. I Could Be Violet Sky, I Could Be Hurtful, I Could Be Purple, I Could Be Anything You Like."

"Gotta Be Green, Gotta Be Mean, Gotta Be Everything More. Why Don't You Like Me? Why Don't You Like Me?"

"Why Don't You Walk Out the Door!" Kurt stopped dead and pointed to the boom box with his head hung low as the voice over by Grace Kelly interjected, "Getting Angry Doesn't Solve Anything."

Kurt stood near the window and looked from one side to the other, making eye contact with a different Warbler on each line. "How Can I Help It? How Can I Help It? How Can I Help What You Think?"

"Hello My Baby, Hello My Baby, Putting My Life On the Brink"

"Why Don't You Like Me? Why Don't You Like Me? Why Don't You Like Yourself?"

"Should I Bend Over? Should I Look Older Just to Be Put On Your Shelf?"

Kurt then repeated the chorus. He was no longer picturing the Warblers as an audience, he was in the moment of the lyrics and everything else was just background. He didn't look at their toes to see if they tapped them, or if they mouthed the words along with him.

"Say What You Want to Satisfy Yourself, Hey!" Kurt stopped and sang with his eyes closed, holding his hands tightly pulled into fists and clasped to his chest.

"But You Only Want What Everybody Else"

"Says You Should Want, You Should Want."

Kurt opened his hazel eyes and stood with his hands clasped in front of him "I Could Be Brown, I Could Be Blue. I Could Be Violet Sky, I Could Be Hurtful, I Could Be Purple, I Could Be Anything You Like."

Kurt resumed bouncing in time with the lyrics, "Gotta Be Green, Gotta Be Mean, Gotta Be Everything More. Why Don't You Like Me? Why Don't You Like Me? Walk Out the Door!"

He repeated the chorus from "I Could Be Brown" and finished by singing a wordless, "Ooh."

Grace Kelly's voiceover finished the tune with "Humphrey, we're leaving."

The music stopped and Kurt was breathing hard and afraid to look up and make eye contact with anyone in the room. The silence was deafening to him and he slowly stood up straight, smoothed his blazer, and looked up to see what he expected were going to be disdainful faces. Instead he saw surprise on more than one boy's face and then he heard clapping from across the room. Turning he saw that one of the boys, one of the tall ones with light brown hair was clapping for him, with his mouth ajar.

Kurt blushed as more Warblers stood and clapped. Finally the council members stood and the clapping ceased. Wes stood and said, "Kurt, if you wouldn't mind, we want to deliberate." He excused himself and walked out. The doors shut behind him and he resolved to take a power walk around the area and give them plenty of time to talk it over.

By the time Kurt got back he was welcomed into the room with clapping from all present and Wes said, "And now let's welcome the newest addition to the Warblers. Kurt Hummel."

* * *

It had been a brutal week after Halloween came and went, and Toby hadn't gotten any face time with Clarice at all. Even his time spent with Trent and the rest of his good friends was snatched at meals, or in the case of Jeff, right before bed. With the Warblers preparing for Sectionals in exactly one week, Toby had decided to get some homework done so he was free to go and support his friends next Saturday.

So he had called Clarice before bed today, just to have contact, and expected that he'd spend all of tomorrow writing papers or studying. Still, this was the best time to find out her plans as well. Thing started out simply enough. She apparently was cramming as well all day tomorrow, and suggested that they could go to dinner, but that she couldn't spare time for an actual 'stare-across-the-table-at-one-another' date.

"I hope you had a good time last Saturday!" Clarice said. The excitement in the statement was evident to him and he felt like his reply wouldn't stand up to expectation.

"Well, it was interesting, and some parts were fun, but it was just a party. So, meh," Toby responded.

"A college party! I'll bet it was all kinds of wild, but did everyone get home okay? I know alcohol is rampant at a place like that," she said.

"Clarice, it was at his parents house, so although there was alcohol and some attendees definitely regretted being alive the next morning, it wasn't that crazy. I've been forced to attend worse," he said.

"So, you were going to tell me about what it was like to work on the movie with Anna Popplewell and Anne Hathaway. You said it'd seem like gossip in the middle of a restaurant, but now we're on a private line. So spill!" she said.

Toby laughed at that, "Yeah, I did say that. Well, Anne was like a big sister to me, helping me navigate the expectations of a film director and the grueling shooting schedule." He paused and thought about it, "Which was funny since she was playing my character's big sister who didn't approve of her kid brother becoming a standup comic."

"Oh yeah, she got so many good lines in that movie. What was your favorite scene with her?"

With a smirk that didn't travel down the line, he said, "I think my favorite scene in the movie with her is when we have the knockdown drag out argument on the stairwell of the house."

Clarice joined in with a giggle, and dropped her voice a few octaves lower to mimic his voice, 'Trina, I know what I want to do with my life by now. I'm not a baby! Dad doesn't care so get off my back!' Toby remembered ascending the stairs halfway as he said those lines.

To which Toby replied in a high voice, 'You don't understand that choices have consequences! You're living in a dream world where you can ignore the realities of touring, and the sleazy side of that world.' Anne Hathaway was paused at the bottom of the stairs, her left hand on the banister. The rest of the scene played out in his head, he remembered the argument verbatim, even now.

 _'I know all about it, but I'm still willing to give my dream a shot!' he said turning around._

 _'You don't even know what your dream is! You've been fed a line of bull by those human leeches that won't tell you that standup comics who make it big are one in a million!' Anne screamed up at him._

 _'I am one in a million!'_

 _'No, you just think you are. Comedy won't pay your bills, it won't get you an education, and it won't provide for a life with somebody else!' She practically cried while screaming the lines._

 _He ran down five steps, and quipped, 'You're just saying that because you gave up on your dreams when mom died,' at Anne with a hurtful tone._

 _'Don't bring mom into it. This is about your future!' she said, climbing the bottom stairs, hand gripping the wood hard enough to turn pale. 'In fact, go ask Jamie if she'll wait for you!' she said, pointing towards the door with her right hand._

 _'What do you mean?' he said as he descended several more steps._

 _Anne turned and descended the stairs, 'Jamie isn't going to wait for you to become a success, come back and propose to her. She's got a life too, and she's not going to put it on hold while you're living in seedy motels and driving from gig to gig.' She turned the corner and began to walk down the hallway, while Toby remembered running down the stairs and out the door._

Toby heard his name and it brought him back to the conversation, "I was just remembering that scene. It was intense, but so awesome," he said to Clarice.

"So, what about Anna? You had an onscreen romance with one of Britain's hottest young actresses, but you had become single recently, right?" she asked.

"Yeah, that was hard, but it kind of worked out. I channeled my frustrations about Melissa into my onscreen time with Anna. It worked in a tortured artist needs a caring foil kind of way," he admitted.

"I'm actually kind of glad that it wasn't a guy gets the girl kind of movie with a long romance. I don't think I could have pretended to be happily in love with someone for scene after scene after scene," he responded. Clarice was quiet on the other end of the line, and Toby prodded, "Clarice?"

"Yeah?"

"I was just checking that you were still there. So yeah that's it in a nutshell. Anna was great to work with, but we were totally professional about it," he said moving the conversation along.

"Did you do any improv for the stand up bits?" she asked.

"Oh, no. I'm not actually a comedian. I may do that on the TV show, but mostly I just do silly things or have funny words fall out of my mouth. The script writers hired actual comedians to write those lines. I just delivered them. That I'm good at," he said.

"Okay," she said, and he could hear the smile that spread over her lips. "So, did anything at all interesting happen at this party that was not wild enough for you to call it a Wild College Party?"

"The guy Trent was dating showed up, got rip-roaring drunk and landed on top of me when I tried to keep him from falling flat on his face," he said. Now that it was a week in the past he could see it for the funny occurrence that it was. "That and Jeff and Adriana should go into business as a choreography team or something."

"Wait, what was the first thing you said? Trent's date fell on you?" she asked, and confusion mixed with mirth came across the line.

"Hey, it was funny but you're not supposed to laugh," he said, with a mock hurt tone to his voice. He then laughed out loud himself.

"Were you okay? Did he throw up on you or anything?" she asked.

"No, but he must have thought I was Trent. Either that or I'm his type too, cause he didn't waste any time trying to make out with me once we hit the ground," he admitted.

"Oh my God," she said, and burst into laughter.

"I guess it's flattering in hindsight, but he was so drunk. Maybe any warm body, even a girl, would have had him coming on to them," he said.

"Well, I'm just glad you got home safe. Too bad you don't have any video footage of it. I'm imagining the whole thing, and it seems hilarious but also embarrassing. For him, not for you. But still..." she said.

"Yeah. We'll know if youtube starts trending my name again, won't we," Toby said. He thought she might be avoiding discussing her weekend so he asked, "Well, how was your night out at home on Saturday?"

"We got dressed up as sexy nurses and doctors and went to this party. I didn't much like getting molested so I left early," she said. Toby listened and tried imagining what she looked like in her costume. He didn't respond at all for many moments.

"From your silence, I am guessing you want pictures?" she said after a few seconds of silence.

"Well, yeah. I sent you pictures of my mime outfit, complete with beret. So now I'm curious whether I should have said, 'Paging Doctor Turner' when you picked up the phone.

"How'd you know I went as a doctor?" she asked.

Toby lightly bit his lip and pulled his free hand into a reverse fist pump. Then he said, "It's cause I'm good," with a slight head bob.

"Well, I guess you had a 50-50 chance of being right either way. I'll send you a picture, just not tonight. Some of us have dumb-phones that only pretend to be intelligent," she said.

"Okay. Well, I'll check with you tomorrow about dinner," he said.

"Sure thing. Take care. I mi... wish we weren't so busy," she said. She had corrected herself in mid-sentence but he had heard what she had wanted to say.

"Good night, Clarice," he said.

"Good night, Toby," she replied. Then he hung up. Toby lay on his bed for long minutes afterwards thinking about the freudian slip. He liked Clarice, but he wasn't sure if his feelings were that intense.

Because she was a nice girl, cute, smart, and with similar interests, it was almost like finding a friend who was equal parts Jimmy and Trent, only a girl. Maybe that was the key. He loved her as a friend, but he wasn't sure he was ready to be intimate, even the limited intimacy of holding hands and kissing. But if he wasn't, he was going to break her heart. After being dumped so brutally by Melissa he wouldn't wish that on anybody. He resolved to sleep on it, and maybe ask Trent his opinion tomorrow.

* * *

Aaron rolled over and opened his eyes to peer at the window. "Ugh, the sun is too bright," he lightly said to nobody in particular. With a look over towards the other bed he saw that Blaine was already up and out somewhere. He was about to roll out of bed himself when he remembered that today was one of the few Saturdays he had off from working in the dining hall. He had resolved to pull the covers up over his head when the door to the room opened and he heard someone enter. He turned to look and confirmed, 'Yup, it's my roommate.'

"Good morning, Aaron. Daylights burning! What's on your to-do list today?" he asked. Aaron ground his teeth, because sometimes Blaine was just too chipper in the morning.

"Hating my life," he mumbled in response.

"Well, that sounds overdramatic and negative. Are you seriously going to stay in bed all day?" he asked.

"No, I have to study for a history test, but I don't have to work today. I wanted to savor sweet freedom," he said.

Blaine laughed and pulled his desk chair out to sit down. He just began to watch Aaron with a knowing gleam in his eyes. Aaron finally couldn't stand the attention anymore and said, "What?" as he sat up in bed.

"Nothing, just wondering if you'd want some help with history," he said.

"Of course I would, but who's going to give up their Saturday to help me study?" Aaron replied.

Blaine coughed, "Ahem."

"You're not serious. You're not even in my class!" he said.

"So? History is about timelines, locations and relationships, not about memorizing facts," Blaine said. He feigned disinterest and asked, "Or are you saying you don't want the help?"

"No, I want the help! I'm close to getting a C in that class. My parents would hit the ceiling if that happened," he said.

Blaine looked up and smiled broadly, "Then get up and get ready. We can go to breakfast and then get started. Plus you can tell me all about whoever it is you moon over when you call on the weekends."

Aaron's face grew as red as a stop light, "Um, you noticed that huh?"

"It was kind of hard not to. I feel like we're more than two guys who just live in the same space, our hectic schedules not withstanding," he said.

"So, boy or girl?" Blaine asked with good humor.

"Girl. Uh, do I give off vibes that I'm into guys or something?" Aaron asked as he threw off the covers and got up to grab his things.

"Not especially, but a lot of gay guys are shy and quiet, and..." Blaine said, trailing off into nothing.

"And what?" Aaron smirked as he drew his robe around his frame.

"Well, you do spend an awful lot of time on your hair most days," Blaine said with a grin.

Aaron began to walk towards the door, "That's because it's unruly! Well I'm glad it's not because I act differently or something. I'm thankful I don't have that to add to how hard it already is dealing with my parents."

"Oh. Your parents seemed nice enough when you moved in. I know we didn't discuss my sexuality with them, but they didn't seem homophobic," Blaine said.

He continued as he sat down in his desk chair, "With Dalton having a reputation as a refuge for the gay sons of southern Ohio's well-to-do, I'd think they'd have to be more openminded," Blaine commented, his brow furrowing.

"How can I explain? You know how a woman might say that her hairdresser has to be gay, and the man behind the makeup counter has to be gay to give her good advice, and it's just quaint that that pair of men moved in down the street?" Aaron asked.

Blaine only nodded in response, so Aaron continued, "Well those same women tend to have a 'Not in my house' mentality. My parents would probably love you, even if I was dating you. They would still however be mortified if I myself was gay."

"Desperate Housewives," Blaine said.

"Huh?" Aaron responded with his hand on the door.

"You just described a TV show called Desperate Housewives. Well-to-do suburban house wives love their gay neighbors, but when one of the sons comes out as bisexual his prim and proper mother has a fit."

"Oh..."

"Yeah."

"Well, I better hurry up," Aaron said as he opened the door, only to find a slim boy his age standing in the corridor with his hand raised to knock. He was wearing extremely fashionable clothing, or at least Aaron assumed the ensemble was fashionable. It didn't look casual in the least.

"Kurt! What are you doing here? It's Saturday!" Blaine said as he rose and walked to the door.

"I was just in the area and thought I'd stop by?" Kurt asked with a sheepish grin.

"You're two hours from home and really didn't have to drive out here on the spur of the moment. Or are you hiding from Karofsky?" Blaine asked. Then he heard Aaron deliver a polite ahem. "Oh, Kurt, this is my roommate, Aaron. He was headed to the showers so we could go to breakfast."

Kurt offered his hand to Aaron and smiled, "It's a pleasure to meet you." Aaron shook his hand and said, "I'll trade you spaces." Kurt gave him a blank look for a moment, before it dawned on him that he meant he wanted to head out and would allow Kurt to step inside. They swapped and Aaron waved as he headed down the hall.

"So, is he a friend, a more than a friend, or is he only a roommate?" Kurt asked as he closed the door behind him.

"He's a friend. The girl he's been blushing about lately was a topic I was going to broach at breakfast. You're welcome to join us. I'm pretty certain that your tuition allows for enough meals in the week that you have at least one left."

"I'd like that. I mean, here I am popping in to whisk you away on a socializing adventure and I didn't eat anything but a grapefruit this morning. My stomach is going to growl any minute," Kurt said.

Blaine nodded, "And the reason you got up at seven or so in the morning and drove out here was?"

"You're right, it's because of Karofsky. I didn't want to stay at home all day, but I didn't want to chance him hunting me down to torment me on the weekend either," Kurt said.

Blaine shook his head and leaned over to envelop his friend in a hug. Blaine's cheek was pressed to Kurt's shoulder so he couldn't read his expression or body language, but he felt the other boy pat him on the back. Blaine said, "Give it some time. It's been less than a week. He'll leave you alone because he has to. If he hassles you outside of school it's a matter for the police, not school administrators."

Blaine clapped Kurt on the back and stepped away. "Do you want to sit? Aaron's chair is that one over there. My bed is the one near the window." He then proceeded to head back to his chair and sit down.

Kurt followed him in and made himself comfortable on Blaine's bed. With the light streaming into the window from behind him he looked positively unreal, in a beautiful sense. So Blaine shook his head to clear the thought, and said, "Do you want to help me get Aaron caught up on his history class? That's what we're doing after we eat."

"Which history class is it? We have American II together, but your roomie isn't in our class," Kurt replied.

"European I think. I'm not sure if it's European I or II, but I'm leaning towards I since he's a First Year student," Blaine said. He paused and pursed his lips in thought, "Well, he's also attending on an academic scholarship, so it could be either, really."

* * *

Just as Toby expected today turned out to be Paper Writing Day. He had been struggling to make the words he wanted to say come to his mind while thinking about Art History for half an hour now. He thought he well and truly was going to lose his mind if he had to think about the implications impressionism made on the world outside of Art any longer. Thankfully he was distracted as Trent wrapped his knuckles on the door frame of the lounge and came inside.

"So I guess you're not wanting an adventuresome trip to the mall. You're even wearing your blues today," Trent said, taking in the uniform that matched what he was wearing, but which Toby rarely wore on a weekend.

"It's because I'm studying today. I wanted to keep my head in the game, you know?" he responded.

"You know what, though? I am so glad you came by. I'm going out of my skull thinking about this paper's topic right now," he said. Trent walked over and saw the books arrayed before him.

"Oh, impressionist art. Is Mr. Lucas giving you a hard time with this assignment?" Trent asked.

Shaking his head, Toby looked up at his friend with eyes devoid of anything but a sad smile, "No, it's the entire topic giving me a hard time. Mr. Lucas is actually kind of cool." Suddenly he remembered that he wanted to ask Trent about Clarice, "Trent, have you ever gotten past the whole 'friends' stage before?"

Trent cleared his throat and looked at Toby seriously, "Wow, nice segue. You mean have I ever gotten to the point where I wanted to call someone my boyfriend?"

Toby nodded, and though he had meant to do so enthusiastically it came across as exhaustion laden. "Yeah," he said. "Clarice is dropping hints that she likes me enough to go to the next level, and I'm not sure where I'm at," he said trying to be honest with himself and Trent both.

"So you're feeling like she's a good friend, but you don't want to lead her on in case there isn't more there?" he asked.

Toby nodded, more animatedly this time, and said, "Yeah, she's too nice to break her heart later, but if we keep going like we are, that's probably what'll happen. I mean I might come to love her like she seems to love me, but what if it doesn't happen?"

"That is a tough question. And to answer your original question, once but it didn't last. The next one broke my heart into pieces and I ran away from romance for the rest of the school year," Trent replied.

Toby sighed, placed his head in his hands and then slowly lifted his gaze so that his chin rested in the palms of his hands, supporting him so he could focus his clouded blue eyes on his friend's face, "So what do I do?"

Trent started with, "Maybe I don't have the right to give you advice." And he paused before continuing, "But if it was me, I'd have to weigh whether the potential of being with Clarice as a couple outweighs the chance that you'll end up hurting her if she continues to outpace you in your emotional attachment," Trent said.

Toby smirked, "You make it sound so logical. Also where did you learn to speak like that?"

"My uncle is a psychotherapist. I had to go to sessions with a colleague of his to deal with the town's reaction to me being openly gay," Trent answered. He paused before continuing, finding a seat next to Toby before speaking, "I never thought that thinly concealed disdain could be so harmful, but their hatred made me feel ashamed of myself for simply being alive."

Toby reached over and put a hand on Trent's arm before asking the question he was afraid to hear the answer to, "Did you ever think about hurting yourself?"

Trent smiled, and though it was a sad one the smile lived in his eyes as well as on his lips. He made eye contact with Toby and said, "No, thankfully I didn't seriously consider suicide or cutting. But do you realize you changed the subject to me and my problems?"

Toby shrugged and said, "You're my friend. My best friend. I wanted to know once you brought up something that important."

It took Trent only a second to nod and smile, more happily this time, as he asked, "So what are you going to do?"

Toby shook his head, "I don't know. I think we should keep going out for a while, and if we get serious I'll just do what comes naturally. I might talk to her about slowing down though, because I don't want her to expect too much from me."

Trent smiled warmly and said, "Then do that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New Cast Notes: Kay Panabaker/Clarice, Chris Colfer/Kurt


	11. Strong Character

**Disclaimer** : Glee, the television show characters herein and the setting of Dalton Academy are all owned by people besides me. I only claim the plot of this story and the folks I've added.

* * *

November 8, 2010

"Wow, David. Dinner at Bel-Lago. And a table facing the waterfront too. You've outdone yourself," his date said as he held out her chair for her. Once she was seated, he adjusted his tie and moved to his chair. She ran her hands through her hair and unconsciously made certain that her headband was in its proper place.

"It's not every night that we celebrate our one year anniversary," he said, focusing on her face as he smiled. He extended his hand and she lightly dropped her own into it.

David looked her in the eyes as he said with everything he had, "Christina, the last year of my life has been so wonderful and fulfilling. You are the largest part of that, and I can't see myself without you. I wanted to make a special memory tonight that shows you how much I love you."

"I know how much you love me. Our time apart since the school year began hasn't diminished that. It's only made it stronger," she responded. Her clear hazel eyes met his, sparkling behind the lenses of her glasses in the glow of the light fixture overhead.

David pressed onward, holding her dark skinned hand, though her skin shade was much lighter than his own, and squeezing it tightly. "Have I ever told you how utterly beautiful you are?" he asked.

Christina's cheeks began to heat up, and she looked down, "Only every week, love." She looked him in the eyes once more and said, "You're making me blush. My god. It's been a year and you can still make me blush."

"Good," was all he said. He finally let go and leaned back, while picking up his menu with his off-hand. She did likewise, and the pair of them scanned the available choices.

"What are you going to get? It all looks pretty good," Christina said, while scanning the second page of her menu.

"I don't know," he said after a long pause, "the seared scallops sound great, but you can't really go wrong with an excellent steak either, and the Delmonico just reads like a wonderfully decadent meal."

"Wow, I don't think I could finish even half of that," she said while continuing to read each offering in more depth. And then Christina smiled and tapped the menu, "That's it, the chicken limone."

David looked at that menu item and asked, "What do you want to bet your pasta dish is as filling as my steak dinner?"

"Oh it probably will be, but the effects on my stomach should be less," she said. As their server returned, they got ready to order.

* * *

"Dinner was wonderful, David," Christina said. They were currently sitting in his car, in the driveway of her home. "Are you sure you have to head back to campus so soon?" she asked, with a pleading tone.

He smiled and leaned over to give her a long, yet chaste kiss as he caressed the side of her face with his left hand. As they parted he said, "Unfortunately, the 8th falls on a Monday this year. And it's a thirty minute drive back."

His eyes flashed an emotion Christina had never seen before, and he breathed deeply before speaking further, "I didn't want to potentially embarrass you by serenading you at the venue, but that doesn't mean I didn't get you a gift."

Christina looked surprised, "You don't ever have to buy me anything, David. I love you for you. You are the best gift in my life, and you're there for me everyday."

"I know," he responded, "but I still wanted to," he said, while reaching into his jacket pocket to withdraw a long slim box. He turned and with a glowing smile presented it to Christina with both hands. "I would be honored if you would wear this," he said.

She tenderly lifted the box from his grasp, and opened it. Inside was a beautiful golden bracelet. It wasn't too ostentatious, and had a strong clasp that told her it was made for everyday wear, but the name on the box was floating around the back of her head and the vague recollection she had told her it wasn't from a catalog or a large retailer to the public at large.

"This is beautiful," she said. Then she began to tear up, "Now I wish you had just put a spotlight on me at dinner by showing off how well you can sing. I'm going to be on the verge of tears for weeks as I wear this and think of you every day."

David leaned in and said, "Tears of joy I hope."

She put the box in her lap and wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him in closer, "Of course tears of joy. I love you so much, and you just don't know how to be anything except exceptional do you?"

A smirk played across his features, "Nope." Then he leaned closer and they shared another long, meaningful kiss.

* * *

November 10, 2010

"Thanks for inviting me to dinner, Toby," Clarice said. She, like he, was wearing her school uniform, but it was a common enough occurrence in the Westerville Breadstix that it didn't create much of a stir. In fact, that and his recent hairstyle change added to his anonymity.

He smiled with his lips taut, as if thinking of something, "Well, it's been about a week. I felt like I should actually see you."

Clarice laughed lightly, in a way that showed him she felt similarly. Just as they made eye contact, she sighed and Toby subconsciously swallowed in response. It was a reaction that she caught. "Toby, are you nervous about something?"

He flashed her a sheepish grin while trying to cover his embarrassed nervousness with the menu. "Uh, yeah. I also wanted to talk to you about us," he weakly replied.

"Us?" she queried back. Clarice's eyes lit up and she seemed on edge immediately. Leaning forward she continued, "Well no topic is taboo. What did you have to say?"

Toby gathered his courage with an inward breath and began, "Well, I think I see how much you like me." She nodded and continued to give him her rapt attention. He broke eye contact and looked at his hands, "And I like you... a lot, but I don't think I'm where you are." Toby braved a look up as he finished, "So, if we could slow down a little, maybe I will feel like I can make the next step, eventually."

Clarice looked unresponsive, but she swallowed and said, "Well, I think that's fair. I honestly thought I was being more subtle." At that she chuckled, and said, "I get it. You were hurt by the last girl you dated, and your relationship probably had a similar tone."

He searched her eyes and asked, "So are we okay for now? I don't want to hurt you, and I don't want us not to be friends either. I enjoy all of my time with you, I just don't feel quite intimate... like it's right yet."

"Hey, the turtle won the race right? Let's just enjoy dinner and talk about what's new in our lives," she said.

Toby released the breath he had been holding in and smiled, a genuine Toby smile, and Clarice grinned in response. "Okay," he said.

* * *

"Hey, dad. What's going on?" Trent said as he picked up the call after checking his Caller ID.

"Hey, son. Your mother and I were wondering if you had any intentions of coming home over winter break?" he asked. Trent rolled his eyes and sighed. "I heard that. Come on, it won't be that bad."

"You're going to get me at Thanksgiving. That won't be enough?" he said, sarcastically.

"We miss having you around for more than a two day stint, Trent. Sharon misses you too, although she won't say it because she's a 14-year old," he said.

Trent gathered himself and said, "Dad, it's not you all. If you wanted to come up here I'd be happy to spend time with the whole family, but I do want to spend time with my friends and not have to worry about classes. Toby isn't going back to California, and I don't think him being alone is a great idea."

"Toby, huh? Do I get to meet this one before or after its official?" his father playfully joked.

"It's not like that, dad. Toby and I are just friends. Best friends actually, despite our different backgrounds, but we just click and I don't want him feeling homesick and lonely during the holidays," Trent said.

His father sounded sincerely apologetic, but Trent could hear the smile on his lips, "Okay. Okay. Not your boyfriend. Got it."

"You and mom have started to sound desperate for me to find someone lately," Trent said.

"Well, we love you very much and just want you to be happy. You've confided in us that you very much want a relationship, so we just try to remind you that there is always hope," he said.

"Thanks, dad," Trent got out.

"Anytime, tiger," his father said back.

"Hey, I thought we had gotten rid of that nickname?"

"But you always looked so cute in those tiger striped footy-pajamas," he countered.

"It's like you're trying to make arguments for nurture based sexuality proponents," Trent said, shaking his head and laughing. "Love you, dad."

"Love you too, son," he said, before hanging up the phone, avoiding the word goodbye as was customary for them.

* * *

November 13, 2010

The Warblers gathered at 9 in the morning and waited while the bus they had rented made its way up the school driveway. Blaine stepped up to Kurt, who had arrived only twelve minutes prior and began to adjust the lapels and collar of his uniform. "Glad you could make it. Today is going to be fun, even if we have to defeat your old school's glee club," he said as he smoothed out Kurt's blazer's shoulders.

Joshua walked up and clapped Kurt on the shoulder, "Any advice you can give us newbies?"

Kurt smiled and shook his head, "Nothing prepares you for your first performance at competition. However, I can just with authority that you should avoid hyperventilating and if you can't remember the next line, just keep moving."

Wes walked up and said, "The bus is here. Everybody get loaded up. We don't want to be late."

"Is it too late to bum a ride?" they heard from behind Wes. Toby Armstrong and another third year, a blind boy carrying a cane, were walking up to the group arm in arm.

Kurt was shocked, and a little confused. "The Warblers have groupies? Famous groupies?" Kurt asked. Toby shrugged and gave him an odd quirk of his lips that seemed to say, 'It's not  _that_  weird.'

Trent squealed and went over to Toby to give him a hug, while Blaine just smiled at the pair. He opened his mouth to address the other boy and walked towards him. He said, "William, you don't have to go on such a long trip just to hear us sing."

"No I don't, but I'm not going to miss a single public performance," he said, looking at Blaine's location.

Toby was looking around and asked, "Where is Jeff?"

Wes smirked and said, "He went to fetch Adriana about an hour and a half ago. I guess they grabbed breakfast and he forgot what time it was."

Trent stuck his hand in his pocket to dig out his cell phone. He had just punched Jeff's speed dial listing when everybody heard a loud rock song blaring from the direction of the parking lot. Turning, Kurt saw Jeff, bright blonde bangs swaying, as he ran up hand in hand with a pretty brunette girl.

"Let's go guys. Oh, and everyone this is Adriana. Adriana this is everyone," Jeff said, with a smile on his lips. She poked him in the arm and just chuckled as he led her through the crowd and onto the bus.

David turned to the others and said, "Okay, we've got a full crowd of people. Let's go make history once again for Dalton Academy."

* * *

Blaine looked towards Kurt who was reading the latest issue of Vogue. He leaned over and said, while keeping his voice down, "Are you nervous about performing in front of your friends?"

Kurt put the magazine down in his lap and turned towards Blaine. "Yes, I'm absolutely nervous. First they have to watch me, and can critique my performance. Second, there is the betrayal factor," he said, sighing to himself as he ran out of steam.

"Kurt, don't feel like you're taking away their hopes of winning. You are just doing what you do best and love. If you have to compete against your friends, it just means that the winner really deserves to win," Blaine said.

Kurt looked at Blaine, making eye contact, "Why do you always sound like you've been here before?"

"Maybe I haven't experienced show choir competition before, but I do know that we don't have any bitter rivals," he replied. To illustrate he thought back to something Kurt had told him about New Directions' competitions last year. "You mentioned Vocal Adrenalin and what they did to you last year. Sure they are scarily competent, but we are only interested in being good at what we do. Not about hurting the other teams' chances," Blaine assured him.

He smirked and tapped his friend on the shoulder, "Besides, with this much raw talent, how can we possibly end up in last place?"

Kurt smiled and nodded at that, "Still, it's kind of hard. It feels like having to face a crush the next day at school after you confessed to him and were rejected."

Blaine shrugged, "Well, it's only been a week. And despite living at home, you really haven't had a lot of time to even hang out with your former teammates due to travel time and having to jump into school work with everything you've got."

Blaine paused to pat him on the shoulder and then continued, "All I'm saying is, give it some time, and for today, just for today, put it out of your mind. They wouldn't support you if they weren't true friends, and I'm sure every one of them supports you performing today."

Kurt smiled, looked Blaine in the eyes and promised to try. Then he picked up the magazine and resumed reading where he had left off.

* * *

"Dude, it's Saturday. What are you doing?" as an unfamiliar voice came from the doorway.

"Studying. Admission to the best pre-med schools is tough. And you're a classmate of William's?" Tim responded to the brownish-red haired boy.

"Yeah, name's Jim. I was hoping William was about, as most of my other friends ditched me to go to Sectionals with the Warblers," he said.

Tim gave him a sad smile, "Tim. I'm sorry to have to tell you William is one of those friends too."

Jim rolled his eyes to the right, tilted his head and sighed, "Of course he would be. I forget how much of a groupie he is. I just saw Aaron Neville and assumed he'd be in the shower at this time of day."

"No, I'm minding Aaron Neville today," Tim said. At hearing his name twice the dog perked up his ears, and turned towards the boys while lolling out his tongue in greeting.

Jim said, "I have an idea, why don't we go play with Aaron Neville and you can have some fun?"

Tim smirked in response, "How'd you know I was thinking the same thing? I was just going to wait until after his next bathroom break."

Jim shrugged and said, "Hey, dogs need love and his master is going to be gone for most of the day."

The shorter boy stood and said, "Okay, you've got me." He turned towards the dog and said, "Aaron Neville, heel," and the animal quickly rose to his feet and walked over to Tim's side.

"Wow, he's very well trained," Jim said as they made their way to the door.

"Yes, he is. You know what William calls what we're going to be doing all day?" Tim asked his compatriot.

"No, what?" Jim responded.

"Spoiling Aaron Neville." Jim just laughed as Tim put his key in the lock and shut the door tightly.

* * *

Toby leapt to his feet along with Adriana, who was sitting beside him, as the Warblers put the final notes of  _Soul Sister_  to bed. The crowd took a few seconds to react, but soon everyone was on their feet giving the Warblers a standing ovation.

Just as the crowd died down, the Warblers started up their second piece. It wasn't until Jeff stepped forward from Blaine's right hand side and began to sing that most of the crowd recognized  _It's All Been Done_  by the Barenaked Ladies.

"I Met You Before the Fall of Rome, And I Begged You to Let Me Take You Home," Jeff sang putting expression into his arm movements.

"You Were Wrong, I Was Right, You Said Goodbye, I Said Goodnight."

They launched into the chorus to become a wall of sound, in multiple part harmony. "It's All Been Done. It's All Been Done. It's All Been Done... Before."

The crowd got into it, and didn't sit down through the remainder of the song. Jeff restrained himself, perhaps because it was his first solo in competition, and they kept their synchronized movements more in line with the previous song's performance.

Everyone was still clapping when the curtains closed. Toby was uncertain how well the last group would perform, but he felt sure that the Warblers had a shot at number one.

"I think they will win," Toby said as he sat back down.

"It's obvious to my ears that they were better than the previous group in energy and technique, but we haven't heard the last group," William said.

Adriana said, "Well, there's no shame if they don't win at all. Still, I believe they will. I know it."

Toby said, "I heard that the last group is the high school Kurt used to go to. He was nervous all the way here on the bus."

William said, "Well, there could be any number of reasons for that. He could be scared to compete against his friends because they are phenomenal, or he could be unsettled because he will be seeing them so soon after having to leave so recently. Whatever the case, I'm sure it'd be enough to shake his veneer."

Toby looked over and said, "Dude, are you going to be a psychiatrist someday? You are so insightful."

Adriana said, "Toby is right. You've got a gift, William."

William replied with a smile, "I actually have my heart set on composition." He paused before addressing her again, "We know what Toby is going to do after graduation. What are you planning on, Adriana?"

"I want to be a lawyer or a lobbyist. There are plenty of underrepresented groups that can't find either of those on their side rather than the corporate sponsoring majority," she said.

Toby sighed, "You both are so exceptional. I'm just going to go back to trying to make people laugh while watching their TV sets. Oh, here they come."

Toby stood up and reached over to tap Trent on the shoulder once the Warblers were seated. When Trent looked back Toby flashed him a double-thumbs up and grinned. Adriana was waving as well, and Trent whispered something to the boy next to him, which carried down the line until Jeff leaned into Thad and heard the whispered message. He looked up and back at the pair of them and smiled as Toby and Adriana gave him thumbs up together. The rest of the Warblers seemed to chuckle. Then the lights in the house descended and everyone heard wordless notes floating on the air, followed by the opening lyrics of  _I've Had the Time of My Life_  coming from the back of the auditorium.

* * *

Tim ran down the path into the Academy grounds with Aaron Neville right at his heels. He leaped into the air and spun to release a frisbee towards Jimmy who was running the other direction. Aaron Neville watched his body language and took off like a shot before the disk had even been released. The impromptu game of keep-away had been Jim's idea, but Tim was enjoying it thoroughly. He was out of breathe, but his face held a grin he hadn't felt the desire to show in some time. He watched as the dog leaped into the air, missing the frisbee by centimeters but knocking it off course nonetheless.

"He caught up with you. I'm counting that as his point," Jim said as he knelt down and waited for the dog to retrieve the toy and bring it to him. Aaron Neville had scooped up the frisbee and and wagged his tail joyfully as he let go once it was in Jim's hand. The boy reached up and playfully scratched the fur behind his ears as the object of the game was released to him.

Tim crossed his hand at the wrist to form a T shape. "I need a rest!" he exclaimed. Jim patted his side and asked the dog to heel as he walked over. Tim collapsed onto a nearby bench and lay back, eyes focusing on the clouds above in the blue-gray sky.

"You're fast, but maybe stamina and sprinting don't go together," Jim said as he trotted up. It was only a second more before he landed on the bench beside Tim and put the toy down between them.

Tim gulped air and said, "I'll have... a retort... to that... in a minute," as he panted with his mouth open.

Jim smiled and said, "Today's been a good day. Wish I had met you earlier this year, Tim."

Tim looked over and flashed him a cocky grin, "Well, I am kind of super awesome, most days."

Jim suddenly looked surprised, and felt around in his pocket for the cell phone that was trapped against his thigh. Looking at the unfamiliar number he let it go to voicemail.

"Who was that?" Tim asked.

Jim just shrugged, "Unknown caller. Anyway, you ready to walk the conquering hero back to the dormitory?"

Tim nodded and they groaned nearly simultaneously as they pushed off of the bench to rise. Then they set a shuffling gait as the pace on the trek to the buildings they had come from. Aaron Neville trotted faithfully behind them, occasionally breaking away to run in a circle around the pair. "I hope he's calmed down by the time William gets back," Tim said.

"He will be, what could go wrong?"

* * *

Toby watched the results and saw the excited team from McKinley and the Warblers shake hands and hug one another. He stood with the rest of the crowd and made his way into the lobby alongside everyone else. He knew it would take long moments for the Warblers to be done and make their way back out front, so he expected he'd get the opportunity to chat with William and Adriana as they waited for their friends. He was barely out of the door, turned towards Adriana and asked, "So, you and Jeff seem pretty serious..." when he was interrupted.

Two teenage girls leaped out at their small group and the shorter of the pair practically yelled, "Oh, my god. You're him! I told you it was him!" The other girl squealed and began rapidly rifling through her purse.

"Uh..." was all Toby was able to get out before the girl found a book and a pen. She thrust both forward at him and said, "Please sign my diary. It's such an honor to meet you, Toby Armstrong." Other people perked up at the mention of his name out loud, and started to wander towards them.

The girl's friend was fumbling with her cell phone and taking pictures as he seemed to eagerly accept the diary and opened it to the last page. "Who should I make it out to?" he said, regaining his composure as things returned to something that was normal... for him. Adriana just stared at the scene the two girls were making and wondered at how calm Toby was being about it all. This was despite more people starting to crowd around.

The fan blurted out, "Christa, with a C-H." Toby ushered Christa and her friend over against the wall to clear the walkway. He addressed the autograph to her, wrote something slightly personal sounding, and signed his name in large cursive script below.

He handed the diary back to her and said, "Here you go. It was nice to get to meet you."

Christa accepted her diary and shyly asked, "Do you mind if we get a photo with you?"

Toby turned on his charm and jokingly asked, "Mind? Mind? I'd have been disappointed if you hadn't of asked. Adriana, would you mind taking a photo for them?" He looked at her and she jogged over to accept each girl's cell phone and snap a candid photo of them embracing Toby in a group hug. She gave the phones back and the two girls smiled, thanked him again and walked away. This continued as the first pair of fans faded into the background, and others came forward and asked for photos or autographs.

By the time the Warblers and their new rivals, New Directions, made their way to the grand foyer, the crowd was obscenely large, and was made up of pre-teens, teenagers, young adults and even some adults and the elderly.

Trent took in the scene and just shook his head. "It never fails. We go somewhere, we win a prize, and West Central Ohio still can't get over the fact that he's him," he said.

Kurt walked up and said, "Is this normal?"

Wes shook his head, "No. Nobody else has made this big a deal about him so far."

Jeff chimed in, "He was flying underneath the radar. I think that most people who have seen him didn't know who he was or didn't put 2 and 2 together because of the uniform."

A heavyset african-american girl from New Directions walked up next to Kurt and said, "You weren't kidding. I thought you were talking about a celebrity lookalike. Or worse yet, just yanking my chain."

"Mercedes, when have I ever not told you the unvarnished truth?" Kurt asked.

"Well, there was that time last year when we were washing cars!" she started.

"La la la la la," Kurt said, turning away from her with a grin on his lips and putting his fingers in his ears. Blaine walked up and clapped Kurt on the shoulder, "Sounds like there is a story in that, but first, maybe we should rescue him from all this attention?"

A short girl with straight dark hair, and eyes and an intense demeanor walked up to the gathered group of singers and said, "My god, you have a Hollywood actor as a member? Not that I'm glad he hurt himself, as that's the only reason he wouldn't have been on stage with you all, but if he had been I'm afraid we would have taken second place..."

"Rachel, zip it. Toby isn't in the Warblers. I mean imagine my surprise when I find out on my first day that he attends Dalton and is in my math class, but he isn't in our show choir," Kurt said, explaining things as fast as he could to the diva, so that she would cease the spiraling conjecture that would only cause a meltdown later on.

All she did was say, "Oh." However the silence didn't last for long. "So does he ever give you all pointers about breaking into show business? I mean, not everyone is destined for Broadway, and the natural alternative would be to pursue a career in Hollywood."

Mercedes gave the boys standing next to her a sheepish look, put her hands on Rachel's shoulders and said "Rachel Berry, everyone. It was nice to see you, Kurt. Blaine. Good luck at Regionals." Then she began to push Rachel back towards New Directions who were beginning to head out to their bus.

David watched them file away and said to Kurt, "Your former teammates are pretty amazing. Great dancers, great singers, towering egos. Now I know why you sang  _Don't Cry For Me Argentina_  on Monday."

Kurt laughed and said "Well, it is true that impressing Mr. Schue enough to get a solo with Rachel Berry gunning for every spotlight was difficult, but I think things are great here too. It's nice to have your talent appreciated and I don't have to worry about physical violence brought on by petty jealousy and prejudice at Dalton."

* * *

Toby had a few seconds of warning before a taller boy slammed his fist into his face. Toby's glasses went flying and there was a collective gasp as everyone in the area saw the punch connect and Toby go down. He hit the floor and rolled over instinctively holding his jaw, just staring up at the enraged boy in confusion and a bit of terror.

"Hey, Tubby. My girl just broke up with me, and guess who she was staring at when she told me?"

The boy kicked Toby in his stomach, causing him to roll over clutching his midsection. The other teen continued ranting, "I don't know how you met her or when you got in her pants, but I'm kicking your ass right now. Get up!" Toby scrambled against the floor, unable to stand or speak in an attempt to move away.

Several of the Warblers grabbed the teen by the arms and bodily dragged him off of Toby and towards the door. He was practically screaming as more bystanders showed up to eject him. Toby didn't hear any of the threats levied at him. He was in too much shock. He'd heard of this kind of thing happening before, but he was just a funny, everyday kind of guy who had been on television. He wasn't a heartthrob, or a sex symbol, and he certainly wasn't a girlfriend stealer. The pain he was in was so great however, that he second guessed himself for a moment.

His pain dulled to a sharp ache and he managed to simply lay there for a moment. Trent leaned down to help him upright and as he stood up, he was steadied by Wes and Nick as well. Toby vaguely remembered hearing Trent ask him if he was okay, and Wes telling the bystanders that autograph time was over.

The next thing he knew he was being ushered out the door to the parking lot. The cold air forced a sense of the moment into him as the air chilled his lungs and he unconsciously breathed in heavily to compensate. The boys escorted him back to the bus, and he shakily stepped onboard. They helped him midway to the back of the vehicle, well away from the front door, and had him sit down.

Finally, Toby seemed able to focus again and he looked up to see Trent staring directly into his eyes. Now that he was fully there, Trent smiled, the corners of his eyes moist with tears that hadn't yet fallen. Toby fumbled out the words, "I didn't do anything with his girlfriend."

Trent just nodded and smiled again, "I know. Who do you think you spend most of your time with?"

The rest of the Warblers made their way onto the bus, with Jeff running down the aisle to sit down next to Toby's seat. "How is he?"

Wes said, "Nothing seems broken, but we'll have to get the nurse to examine his ribs and jaw regardless. He could be in too much shock to register a fracture right now." Wes got up and headed towards Thad, leaning in to speak to him. Thad nodded and whipped out his cell phone. Adriana helped William onboard in the background.

Toby looked from Jeff to Trent and asked, "Why did this happen?" He continued rambling, "I kind of dreaded people finding out I was in Ohio, and now my parents are gonna call and oh, no, I think I'm having a panic attack." Toby began to lightly hyperventilate and looked like he was going to hurl at the same time. Trent grasped his face on each side and looked him in the eyes.

Then he started singing, "I Asked Her to Stay, But She Wouldn't Listen, And She Left Before I Had the Chance to Say."

"The Words That Would Mend The Things That Were Broken, But Now It's Far Too Late, She's Gone Away"

The other Warblers began singing at that time, joining in in twos and threes until the entire bus was filled with Maroon 5's  _Won't Go Home Without You_. Trent let go of Toby's face now that his attention was fully wrapped around his singing.

"Every Night You Cry Yourself To Sleep, Thinking Why Does This Happen To Me?"

"Why Does Every Moment Have To Be So Hard? Hard to Believe It."

"It's Not Over Tonight, Just Give Me One More Chance to Make It Right."

"I May Not Make It Through the Night, I Won't Go Home Without You."

Trent smiled as he continued on and Toby's breathing calmed. The bus driver finally arrived and put the vehicle on the road back to Westerville. At the end of the song, Toby sighed, and closed his eyes and when he opened them he smiled and looked Trent in the eyes as he said, "Thanks." He then turned to look at the eyes of the other Warblers and said, "Thank you all." The nearest Warblers jumped up and began slapping him on the back and when they had finished, Trent reached over and gave him a long hug.

"Did anybody happen to find my glasses?" Toby asked the assembled group. Nick held up a pair of mangled frames with a shattered lens in them.

"Great," he said, then chuckled, as if that revelation was the punchline to an unspoken joke.

* * *

Jim walked into his room and lay down on his bed, facing the ceiling. He had just emptied his pockets and was contemplating a shower after the full day of outdoors activity, plus the time he spent getting to really know Tim this afternoon. They had just come back from dinner and Jim was pleased that he had made a new friend, even if he was technically the friend of a friend.

It was only then that he remembered the unknown caller from much earlier in the day. Jim pushed himself up to a seating position and from there, he rose and reached for his phone. It only took a matter of moments to access his voicemail, as he sat back down on the mattress.

"Mr. James Bartholomew. This is the Richland County Sheriff, Daryl Cox. I'm obliged to inform you that at 2:12 pm today, your guardians: Richard and Ella Staunton, perished in the aftermath of a road collision a few miles outside of Mansfield. My number is 419-555-2125. Please contact me as soon as you are able, and I am very sorry for your loss."

Jim stared ahead in horror, as what he had heard finally made it to the forefront of his mind. Then he frantically played the message again, to be absolutely sure he heard it correctly. When he had confirmed the horrible news, his hand dropped away, spilling his phone onto the bed as he fell backwards. He almost didn't hear the knock on his door as Trent walked into the room with a smile on his face. Jim gave him a blank expression as he finally made out what his friend addressed him with. "So what have you been up to today?" Jim didn't respond, and Trent's expression changed as he sped his approach.

"What's wrong, Jimmy?" Jim didn't say anything in response, but as numb as he was, he realized more than felt himself begin to cry uncontrollably, and he noted rather than understood Trent pull him up to a sitting position and for the tall brunet to wrap him up tightly in a strong embrace. As Jim wailed, more students heard the disturbance from the hall and more of his friends piled into the room. Jim hadn't the faintest idea who else had entered. The only thing he could make sense of was the separation of himself from his grandparents, the only parents he had known for 12 years, and the finality of that severed connection.

Outwardly he sobbed, and beat against Trent's chest with his fists, as he tried to dismiss the entire situation to some unreal nightmare he was undergoing. Inwardly, he couldn't help but think to himself, 'It's okay to cry right?' and 'They're gone.' in the most mundane of timbres. Finally he felt other arms grip him and hold him still, as Trent continued to rock him in his arms.


	12. Loss of Faith

**Disclaimer** : I do not own the characters appearing in the television show universe of Glee, nor the world itself. This is not meant as a challenge to the owners and creators of the show.

* * *

November 17, 2010

Toby stuck his head into the reading room at the library and saw the very boy he had been looking for. The blonde entered the room, quietly shutting the door behind himself so as not to disturb any of the other people already there. He couldn't quite focus on too many of the others, as he wasn't wearing his glasses. He made his way to the table nearest the far wall and pulled out a chair next to his friend and sat down.

"Hey, haven't seen you lately. You even asked to change lab partners in chemistry yesterday. Did I do something wrong?" he asked.

Jim looked over at him with a dead expression on his face. His eyes showed that he hadn't gotten much sleep, but there was no drive behind his glance, just idle tolerance. "I wanted to be alone. Things have been hard," Jim responded.

Toby reached over and embraced his friend around his shoulders, while looking slightly away, "I heard. I want you to remember that we're here for you. Some alone time is healthy, but you shouldn't feel like you need to push your friends away."

Jim shrugged out of Toby's side hug and said, "Thanks for your concern, but I don't think I want anybody else staring at the boy who needs hugs, or who was an emotional wreck four days ago."

It took Jim long seconds to continue, "Maybe I don't want to feel better either. Everybody is walking on egg shells around me, or offering me comfort. I've become a freak."

Toby wore an obvious expression of worry on his face, and asked, "Can we go somewhere and talk about it? The chapel is secluded. You shouldn't bottle all of this up, Jim."

"Talking about it makes me think about what happened. Then I cry. So, no I don't want to talk about it," he responded.

Toby nodded and looked at the wall, "Okay. I understand a little. So, do you think you can help me then?"

Jim looked perplexed and asked, "Help you out? How?"

Toby sighed and looked over, "Some stranger broke my glasses on Saturday, and I didn't bring any contacts with me. To make a long story short, I would like a ride."

Jim cracked the barest hint of a smile, "I didn't think you were that blind."

Toby heard the mirth in his voice and smiled, "I'm not, but it feels weird to drive when I can't see properly and the nearest Lenscrafters is apparently in Columbus."

"Apparently?" Jim asked.

"Jim, I can't read anything unless I stand four feet away."

"At which point you can't see it to read, got it," Jim said. Toby nodded and sighed, sadly.

Toby saw Jim shake his head and thought he heard a chuckle. "Okay, Toby. I'll drive you out. I could use the chance to see new surroundings." Jim began to gather up his things and stood.

"Thanks, Jim," Toby said, gaining his feet as well.

* * *

Joshua snagged Carey's jacket sleeve as his cousin stepped out of the Warbler's practice room. "Hey, it's been a surreal week, huh?"

Carey paused and looked back, came to a halt and nodded cautiously. "We tied for first place at the competition, and then when we got back we found out that Bart is going through a tough time," he said.

"Bart?" Joshua asked.

"Yeah, his last name is Bartholomew. Most everybody calls him Bart, for short. I think only Trent and a few of his friends call him after his first name, or a variation of it," Carey replied. He jerked his thumb down the corridor and asked, "Are you headed my way? I have to drop everything off at the dorm, before heading to the dining hall for my shift."

Joshua shook his head, "No, I'm about to go to the gym. I promised I'd spot one of the guys in my year the last time we were there together."

Carey just nodded, and Joshua thought about their own grandparents, and said, "It's kind of hard to imagine that kind of loss."

"Josh, I heard that his grandparents were raising him because his parents passed years ago. So I can't imagine it at all," Carey responded. He shook his head and then said, "I think a few of the Warblers were thinking about doing some aural therapy, but I don't know him that well. I am kind of against it."

Joshua smirked and said, "I think he would appreciate it, but we should definitely ask before we open our mouths."

Carey said, "Well, that just goes to show you that we're pretty different. I'm all for asking him if he might like to be sung to, but it doesn't solve problems, it won't bring them back, and I'd just as soon not put my neck on the chopping block over a touchy subject like that one."

Joshua said, "We'll just have to disagree then... On a different note, you are coming to my house for Thanksgiving, right?"

Carey nodded, "Yup, wouldn't miss Aunt Caroline's pumpkin pie for the world."

Joshua said, "But what about your mom's roast ham?"

Carey smiled, "Oh, you're going to be knocked off your chair by how succulent it is, but grandma is making a brined turkey so I expect we won't get as much of everything else as we might want."

Joshua playfully punched Carey in the arm and said, "You're going down. One of those turkey legs is mine!"

Carey grinned widely and ruffled his cousin's hair, "That's what you think, cuz. Anyway, I have to go now. Later." He rushed down the corridor waving to Joshua as he headed for the T intersection.

* * *

November 19, 2010

"Well, now the hard work begins. We have to get better for Regionals, and after watching the display put on by New Directions, we need to work on our dance moves if we're going to stand a chance," Trent said.

"I don't know about that," Toby said. He was sporting new glasses in an invisible style frame, and poked at his plate with his french fries as he spoke. "I think if you just improve your timing and add some motion you'll stand a chance to beat them. You all sing so well, but the other team can't dance and sing equally amazingly at the same time."

Trent nodded and finally turned his attention to the plate with nothing left but fries on it, and asked, "Your food boring you?"

Toby shrugged and said, "No, I am just not as hungry as I initially thought."

"You know, there isn't really any point in skipping the ketchup when you have a burger and fries. It's not like the extra calories will make a difference," Trent said with a smirk.

"If I was going to dip them in something it'd be ranch, but I gave that up for the good of my waist line," he responded.

"I knew there was a weight conscious person inside that lackadaisical Californian head of yours. He's humanly stereotypical after all," Trent said with a laugh.

Toby leaned back and said, "Hey, I don't fit any stereotypes that I'm aware of. It's part of what makes you like me so much."

Trent said, "Everybody fits stereotypes, or they wouldn't exist. You just don't fit the ones people expect you to be like womanizer, snob or egoist."

Toby exclaimed, "Name one stereotype that I fit!"

"Well, like most conscientious, open-minded, big hearted types, you adopt every cause that drops in your lap," Trent started, to be interrupted by his friend across the table.

"That's not a stereotype, that's just being a good person."

Trent sighed, "Okay, you've got me there. But I like to think I'm a good person, and I don't leap to aid every person I see in need."

"Trent, there's nothing wrong with helping out when and where you can. I just tend to think I need to help out if I have the time, or the means. My life, in general, is so amazing that I want everybody around me to have the same in their lives."

"I still remember the handwritten response I got to my fan mail three and a half years ago, encouraging me to work at my confidence in performance and a heartfelt sounding 'Can't wait to work with you someday' scrawled below the signature," Trent said, with a smirk.

Toby was floored, "You wrote me when I first got on Mollywood and didn't tell me until now?" He looked disappointed and continued, "Were you expecting me to remember you on my own?"

Trent shook his head, "Not expecting that, no. I know you probably got hundreds of letters a month, and the chance you'd remember a name you saw 3 years ago was slim." He smiled and finished, "Hey, it was a nice memory. Do you still write everyone back nowadays? I mean, did you before you had to write term papers instead?"

Toby shook his head, "Unfortunately, no. Right around the hiatus between the first and second seasons I had so much fan-mail that all I had time to do was read it all."

He shrugged and continued, "I mean if I got a special letter, I'd make time, but I only got a handful of letters from people fighting cancer, or whose parents were going through extremely messy divorces. So I made a new rule. If I cried, I wrote them back."

"You are something, Toby," Trent said, his eyes tearing up a little. He noticed Jim entering the cafeteria for dinner and stood, waving animatedly to flag him down. Jim noticed the table with his friends, and turned his way towards them.

Jim unceremoniously dropped his tray onto the table and reached for a chair back. "So, what are you two talking about?"

"We were talking about what the Warblers had to work on for Regionals," Toby said.

"Actually, we were talking about how Toby is a stereotypical big hearted type," Trent countered. Toby rolled his eyes, and caused Trent to smirk back, "Hey, that's my expression. Give it back."

Jim couldn't help but chuckle at their antics, and said, "You two are so crazy together, and what's sad is that most wild folks would consider your actions tame."

Toby winked at Jim and pointed out, "Tame doesn't have to mean boring!"

"Lame," Jim said as he grabbed a forkful of rice and shoveled it into his mouth.

"Hey," Trent said. "You've got time to eat. Slow down. So... are you feeling any better?" he asked.

Jim nodded, "Ever since we got Mr. Hawkeye back into shape we had a decent time on the way back. And after that I stopped dwelling on things so much." Jim paused and in a quieter voice continued,"It still hurts, and I'm not sure if I'll ever feel okay about that, but it doesn't feel like I need to rip out my own heart anymore."

Trent reached a hand towards Jim, but Jim held his up to ward him off. "Look, I know you're an emotional hugger type, but let's limit that to behind closed doors right now. I still feel like I've got a bullseye on my back. No offense," he said.

Trent nodded and withdrew his hand, "Sorry. I just know how I'd feel if our positions were reversed. I'm not sure I'd have stopped crying yet."

Toby said, "It's okay, Trent. Everybody is different. Has anybody told you when and where the service is going to be?"

Jim put his fork down and nodded, "Yes, it's going to be Monday afternoon in Mansfield, at their church's adjacent chapel."

Toby nodded and said, "Is the pastor you like going to be there?"

Jim shrugged and replied, "I don't know, but I wanted to ask you something, Toby. I don't have a lot of close friends, and I don't think I'll be able to avoid breaking down on the way there or back. I could use a ride if you're up for returning the favor."

Toby responded immediately, "Anytime, Jim. You only had to ask."

Trent piped up, "Let me go talk to Mrs. Reginald before she retires for the night. I'll get everything cleared."

Jim said, "Just for me and Toby, please, Trent. I don't want to disrupt your life any further than I already have. I know you have practice on Monday, and asking off of school to go to a funeral for two people you've never seen or met is too much."

Trent bit his lip, but he nodded and conceded to Jim's wishes. "I'll get her to excuse you both. However, I want to hear about the service and what the speaker says because it's important to you."

Jim nodded as Trent stood and cleared his tray. "Thanks, guys." He said, as Trent waved and began to walk away.

* * *

Adriana tapped Jeff on the shoulder and caused him to jump a few feet out of his chair, his iPod falling onto the desk. Jeff immediately fumbled to grab it, stop playback and make sure he hadn't broken it. Then he looked up and realized who was there, which caused a smile to brighten his face in moments. "Adriana! I didn't know you were coming over!" he said, a little loud as he adjusted to the ambient volume while removing his earbuds.

"Hey, Jeff. It was supposed to be a surprise," she replied. She looked around and saw that the room was pretty much in a state of disrepair. Clothes were strewn across the bed near the window, and books were piled on the other desk. Jeff's desk was covered with papers and his laptop.

"So, is Toby okay? After that incident last weekend, and the blogosphere blowing up about him being in southern Ohio I wouldn't be surprised if he had hopped on a plane," she continued.

Jeff nodded, "Yeah, my roomie is fine. He's just out trying to spend some quality time with one of your schoolmates."

Adriana's brow furrowed, before she asked with a smirk, "Which one?"

"Um... Clarice Turner?" he offered.

Adriana gasped and smiled, "Really? Are they dating? Wait, never mind, the fact that you know her last name probably means they're dating. 'Is it serious?' is the question I meant to ask."

Jeff shrugged as he stood up and offered both of his hands to Adriana, "Sort of," he answered as she grasped his hands.

"Sort of?"

"Yeah, but enough about him and his not bruised ribs, and your classmate. I really want to go on an impromptu date with you right now..."

"But something is going on. I see you were studying, which is one of the things I like about you, your attitude, but I can guess it's something more," she said.

"Things are ramping up. We've got about three months until Regionals, we've got mid terms right before and after Thanksgiving, and did I mention that my family lives far away, so I kind of have to prepare before and after the break?"

"That all makes sense, but we could still squeeze in a meal," she said.

Jeff smiled and said, "Yeah, but I feel guilty being this happy right now. One of our classmates is going through something major and until he comes back from the funeral things kind of feel like they should be somber around here."

Adriana frowned, "I can understand that, but you shouldn't feel guilty about anything you don't actually regret. What your friend needs is empathy, not sympathy." She looked Jeff in the eyes and continued, to illustrate her meaning, "I'm sure he's quite aware of every single person who mopes about when he enters a room or turns away when they see him. Even if he did feel bad seeing you happy, he couldn't hold it against you, or he wouldn't be your friend."

"Yeah, but he's been avoiding everybody but Toby and Trent as well, and those two practically had to break down his walls to get that far. Nothing feels quite right," he said.

Adriana sighed, nodded and leaned forward, going up on her tiptoes to make contact with him, resulting in a kiss which caused Jeff to blush a bright red. "Okay, well I'll see you around the 28th. Text me when you get back," she said.

Jeff nodded with a dumbfounded expression on his face as Adriana turned to go, letting go of his hand right as she faced towards the door. "That was our first kiss," he said, numbly.

"Yup," she responded as she reached the hallway. "Remember, don't feel guilty about things you don't regret."

There came a call of, "Hey, Adriana," from the hallway, and Adriana waved as a pair of Warblers, Blaine and Wes, walked by. She smiled and waved and she turned back and waved coyly at Jeff before heading off towards the exit.

* * *

"So, I was wondering if things are weird between me and Kurt," Blaine said. Wes looked over at him and perked his eyebrows.

Wes paused before asking in his reserved fashion, "What do you mean?"

Blaine said, "You see a lot of things. It's why I'm asking you. We met only a month and a half ago, but we've bonded like reunited old friends. Still, he's my friend..."

"Are you asking me if I think you're leading him on?" Wes asked as they reached the lounge on his floor and grabbed a pair of seats at one of the tables.

"Yes. No. I mean yes. Am I doing anything untoward?" Blaine asked.

Wes thought about it for a moment and said, "I think you're being a good friend to Kurt, and he definitely seems to need it. First he was bullied at his old school, and now he's having trouble blending in here at Dalton. I don't know if you've ever felt like you don't belong anywhere, but Kurt's definitely going through that now."

Blaine nodded and said, "I just don't think I could put someone else through that. First it was William, and then I had to keep Andrew at arm's length..."

Wes interrupted him and said, "Hey, Andrew had his own issues. You're lucky he didn't obsess over you the way he did with Trent. Kurt will be fine."

Blaine nodded and smiled. Wes smirked however and said, "But you do unconsciously flirt shamelessly with everyone around you." This comment caused Blaine's mouth to hang open.

"Gotcha," Wes said with a wink.

* * *

November 22, 2010

Toby pulled off the road and turned into the church driveway. He looked and saw that it was a Catholic church, or at least it was made of stone and looked like a Catholic church. "Well, this is it." Both of them were wearing black dress jackets, white shirts, and black slacks. Jim's tie was black, while Toby's was off-white. He parked the car and Jim looked at the assembled group of cars.

"There are fewer than I expected, even with the lack of a ton of relatives," he said.

Toby clapped his hand on Jim's shoulder, "Don't think about that. Are you ready? We got here about 38 minutes early. I have no problems driving you to a coffee shop if you don't want to be here yet."

Jim's wan expression cracked a slight smile, and he turned to Toby, "No, I think I can weather this. Thanks, again."

Jim pushed open the door and looked up into the slate gray sky. He drew a long breath as he closed the car door behind him, and stared at the entrance to the chapel. He heard Toby's door slam home behind him and turned to his friend again.

"No time like the present," Jim said as he pushed off towards the doors.

He felt a tap on his shoulder before he had taken more than a few steps. Stopping he turned to face Toby who said, "Jim, I'm a hugger too. So don't feel like you have to hide your emotions or bottle it all up as some kind of show."

He continued with Jim didn't say anything, "Nobody here is going to judge you, man. This is going to be hard, and you need to just be yourself and get through the day. So remember I'm here for you if you need anything, and I'm not going to get embarrassed no matter what you need from me. Got it?" Jim nodded, and turning stiffly back to face the entrance, resumed putting one foot in front of the other.

As they neared the steps, Jim had to steady himself before moving forward. He pulled on the right hand side of the double doors, and entered into darkness while he waited for his eyes to adjust. Within a few seconds he could make out the placard on a stand stating proudly, 'Memorial Service to Celebrate the Lives of Richard and Ella Staunton.'

Then and there, it seemed to hit Jim like a punch to the gut. He nearly doubled over as he gasped, and covered his mouth with his left hand. Tears welled up in his eyes and he turned and collapsed against Toby as the door slammed shut behind them. He sobbed as Toby wrapped his arms around his friend and said soothing words.

The other guests stared towards the doorway with surprise, but none of them said or did anything except the pastor, who walked towards the entrance with a purpose in her gait. This middle aged woman was wearing a black robe, with a full white collar round her neck and a white sash that wrapped around her shoulders to fall down her front.

"Jimmy, do you want to sit down somewhere private?" she asked, kindness evident in her voice. That familiar voice cut through some of what held Jim in his grip as he looked up.

"Reverend Walker," Jim said as the strong hands pulled him from Toby and helped him stand up straight.

"Right this way," she said, allowing both boys to walk into the chapel proper and off to a side room halfway down the main aisle. Jim continued to sob quietly as he was led along. Once they were both inside and Jim had found a chair, she turned to leave, "Take as long as you need. I know this is particularly hard on you, Jimmy." She closed the door behind her, and then she was gone. The entire room descended into silence, as if the outside world and the twin caskets that existed within it momentarily did not exist.

"Just great. Freaking great! I can't even be here without causing a scene," Jim railed at the room in-between sobs.

Toby turned and gripped his hand, drawing his attention. "Don't even think about that. You're grieving. Let it out. Don't try to put on a show. What good would that even do?"

"I know. I know. I just hate myself for being weak like this," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Weakness is pretending this doesn't hurt so that you can fool the rest of the world or worse yourself," Toby said.

"How'd you know to say that?"

"Honestly, my aunt died when I was 9. My family is really close and I had to listen to similar talks between my parents and my cousin," he said.

"You'd think I'd be over this by now. My parents died no more than two years apart, when I was four and then again at six," Jim said. Toby didn't say anything at first, so Jim continued, "Sometimes I can't even remember my mother's face."

"I don't think you ever reach a point where it doesn't hurt like hell to lose someone who means the world to you, Jim," Toby finally said. Jim just wiped the heels of his palms against his eyes to dry them. The room finally subsided into true silence, with only the faintest murmurs audible from outside. Things became so regular that the constant hum of the air conditioning system fans was suddenly the only background noise they could hear.

* * *

"Fellow Warblers, I know serenading someone who is grieving is sort of gauche, but I still think we should sing something as a memorial," Nick said. The elder warbler was almost immediately overwhelmed with both supportive and negative comments. He held up his hands while David banged the gavel to regain order.

Wes asked, "I assume you have something in mind, or you wouldn't have brought it up, Nick."

Nick nodded and walked over to the council and whispered something to each of them. Thad perked an eye brow while David's mouth lit up with a smile. He looked to the right and said, "I think we can do that. Today, the Warblers are giving an impromptu performance in the senior commons."

Josh and Adam looked at each other, and then back at the head of the room in confusion. Trent looked a little apprehensive, as if he were desecrating someone's memory, and Blaine simply walked forward with Carey and Nick to get sheet music of this mystery song. Thad began handing out parts as each Warbler strode past the desk, "Reconvene in fifteen minutes, and learn your parts on the way, it's not a hard song, and you've probably heard it before."

Now, arrayed in the senior commons with students filing in from the open doors and taking up positions along the sides of the room, the Warblers began to sing  _Hear You Me_  by Jimmy Eat World. Nick began the solo, "There's No One In Town I Know, You Gave Us Some Place to Go."

"I Never Said Thank You For That, I Thought I Might Get One More Chance"

The singers swayed in time, barely looking down at their paper guide posts, "What Would You Think of Me Now, So Lucky, So strong, So proud?"

"I Never Said Thank You For That, Now I'll Never Have a Chance."

As they began the chorus all the boys sang together, but in different parts of the register, creating a loud yet serene scene. "May Angels Lead You In, Hear You Me My Friends."

"On Sleepless Roads the Sleepless Go, May Angels Lead You In."

When they finished singing, and Nick's voice faded to nothing on the last note, the assembled students, easily half the school, bowed their heads and softly and respectfully clapped. It seemed the entire student body knew why the Warblers might sing such a sad, yet respectful song, and they were on board with the sentiment.

* * *

Shortly before the memorial service began, Toby helped Jim out of the side room and towards the front row of pews. He was still unsteady on his feet, but he walked the distance mostly on his own, putting one foot mechanically in front of the other. The reverend walked to right in front of the pair of coffins and beckoned for everyone to rise. There were quiet shuffling sounds as everyone gained their feet, and adjusted their dress clothes.

"We are gathered here today, to celebrate the lives of a wonderful pair of my dear friends. For those of you wondering, this is not a funeral service. That will be held this afternoon. My understanding after speaking at length with the deceased's family, is that this gathering should more resemble a wake, and that those who wish to stay for the traditional funeral service afterwards are welcome to do so."

"If you will join me in a brief prayer, we will move forward shortly," she said, and then paused as she raised her hands and bowed her head. "Living God, we come together today to praise you, but to also commend the memory of two loving Christians in your presence. We will tell stories, and in the end, remember them for all that they were. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen." After the assembled guests said "Amen" in unison, she said, "Please be seated."

"As we are here to celebrate the lives and union of Richard and Ella, it would be appropriate to tell you when I first encountered the couple. It was back in 1999, I had just moved to Mansfield, and was set to take over ministering to the Lutherans of this congregation. I will remember that Ella walked into the church carrying a basket of fresh bran muffins and handed them to me. 'Here you are,' she said and promptly turned on her heel to leave. I stopped her and asked her, 'Ma'am, who are you? Thank you for the gift, but I don't even know who to thank,' I told her. She simply smiled and informed me that she was Ella Staunton, and that she always sat in the third row at the early service and she intended me to be her pastor for a good long while. Hence the bran muffins."

Reverend Walker paused briefly to smile and look at those gathered, "I still have a bran muffin every day for breakfast, and that habit is one I started with Ella. It became a tradition. We would meet for breakfast a few days a week, and we would talk about whatever was on her mind. We became good friends, with her welcoming me here into the fold, it was less like I was taking over a flock, and more like being welcomed into a family. I will always remember that experience."

Several friends stood through the course of the next hour, and walked down the aisle to render their strong memories for everyone else to enjoy. Toby listened raptly to each story, and there were bouts of laughter in turn. It wasn't until Jim stood that everyone was silent and waited for him to speak.

"The only thing I know for certain about my grandparents is that I miss them terribly. They took me in when my parents died, and took the responsibility to raise a difficult kid. One who didn't make a lot of friends, and one who stubbornly gave them grief week in and week out. Without their love, their guidance and the structure they provided, I don't know how I would have turned out. I can't thank them enough, and I don't know what I am going to do now that they are gone... Thank you," he said, and immediately headed back to his seat.

It was long minutes before anything further happened. Nobody felt like following that note and attempting to return the mood to a lighthearted one, so the pastor stood again and returned to the center of the aisle at the front of the chapel. "I want everyone here to take to heart each story you heard here today," she said.

Reaching out she made a grasping fist, "Hold onto it, and treasure the happy moments, even if they were not previously yours. We are after all here to celebrate the glory of their lives, the power of their love together and the goodness of their outreach to everyone around them for as long as any of us has known them."

She concluded, "Remember Richard and Ella as the friends and mentors they were to each of us, do not give in to despair. Be joyful that they have found peace and a place with the Father. Amen." The gathered crowd once again said, "Amen" together and people began to stand: some to leave, others to mingle.

Nearly everyone came by and spoke to Jim, so Toby gave him space to have conversations with each of the well-wishers. One pair and their daughter spent a lot of time with Jim, and Toby vaguely remembered that this was Jim's Uncle Charles.

Finally, around 2:30 pm, Jim walked back over and looked Toby in the eyes. His dead expression was back, and Toby rose and asked, "What do you want to do next?"

"Let's just get out of here. I know that if I have to sit through a funeral after that I will cry my head off," he said. Toby nodded and helped him make his good byes, always prodding slightly to keep folks from boxing him in and delaying Jim's exit.

* * *

Jim was barely lifelike the entire trip back to Westerville. He never did break down into uncontrollable crying. In fact, he only cried twice and the second time he dried his eyes with his palm before Toby even realized he had suffered another episode. Still, Toby's attempts at conversation weren't having a positive effect. He responded to all of Toby's questions and made snide comments at some of his assertions. That suited Toby just fine, as he had learned to settle for snide Jim lately. But he didn't initiate anything.

Still, it was time to head back to their home away from home, and before that he wanted Jim to get more time to come to grips with his emotions. By now, his grandparents' coffins would be interred in the ground, so he had to be thinking about that being the final note.

Toby was uncertain if Jim had spent so much time in his own head before he knew him, but any time he could get the other boy to respond, he felt good about himself. This was one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do for a friend. Just being there without smothering him with comfort was difficult, and if he were to get standoffish it'd only make matters worse. He wasn't sure he was really up to the task, but he resolved right then to be with Jim through Thanksgiving, and try to keep the holiday from becoming a bleak wasteland when the rest of the students left later that week.

"Do you have a preference for where we eat dinner?" Toby asked as they came up to the Westerville highway exit.

Jim slowly shook his head, and replied, "It won't matter. Nothing sounds good to me right now, so anything is fine."

"Okay, I'll just pick someplace I haven't been before then," Toby said as he turned the car down the offramp.

* * *

Trent was sitting in the second floor lounge when Toby followed Jim into the room. Trent put down the book he was reading and smiled while trying to read the mood. Jim was sullen, and even more bleak than he had been on Friday. Toby was angry, but completely silent. He wondered what could have happened in Mansfield to change them so much in only a few hours. Had they had a friendship ending fight? That seemed unlikely, but now he didn't now how to ask without putting his own foot in his mouth.

Jim opened his mouth to speak, "Trent, you've become a good friend to me. You were there when I really needed it and I wanted to say thank you. I also wanted to let you know that I'm moving in with my Uncle Charlie as soon as I can get the papers settled."

This news blindsided Trent who rose quickly and clasped both hands on Jim's shoulders, "Are you sure? I don't think you should make any snap decisions. At least finish the term."

Toby chimed in with his agreement, "I agree, Jim. There's no use in going anywhere until grades are finalized for the first half of the year!"

"And where does your uncle live?" Trent asked.

Jim furrowed his brow and replied, "Cleveland." Trent let go of Jim when he finally answered, still uncertain of his mental state.

Toby tried to give his friend positive points and moved closer to making a triangle out of their positions. "Jim, the accident didn't happen here. And Cleveland is so far away. The only person we know from there is Jeff," Toby pointed out.

Jim said, "That doesn't matter. My uncle has agreed to take me in, to provide stability for me until I head to college."

Trent calmly asked, "So he's going to become your guardian?"

Jim shook his head, "No, I'm 18; so there is no legal reason for that. He'd just provide a place to stay, a support group, normality."

Toby said, "I'm not saying your uncle isn't great, but do you think you'll make friends quickly in Cleveland?"

Jim said, "Not really, I've always been sort of ignored due to my hobbies."

Toby continued, "Then think about how much harder it will be to make new friends as the senior who transfers in from an elite school to finish his last semester. Don't give up the support group you have here, for a promise of something more traditional elsewhere." Trent nodded as Jim began to mull his options over in his head.

Jim nodded and said, "Okay, I'll think about it. No promises either way. And once again, thank you both for everything you've done." He then turned on his heel and moved out the door, disappearing down the hall moments later. Trent watched Jim go, and Toby walked over to a plush chair and flopped down into it exhausted. He loosened his tie and propped his head in his left hand, resting his elbow on the armrest of the chair.

"So, I take it this bombshell dropped in your lap on the way back?" Trent inquired.

Toby groaned, "No, he waited until we were having dinner to hit me with that one. I don't know how to deal with this. He's so delicate right now, and he thinks everybody here is judging him, or worse pitying him."

Trent sat back down and patted Toby's knee while flashing him a caring smile, "You just have to be patient and keep being his friend. I'm confident he won't go anywhere any time soon. Or at least as long as he feels safe here he should stay here."

Toby leaned towards Trent and said, "I know you're going home for Thanksgiving, but if you can get your family to change their minds, I could use your help. You know, making sure Jim doesn't feel too alone."

Trent sighed and replied, "I'll ask, but you'll have me here for Christmas for sure."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it. I can't let either of you spend Christmas alone."

* * *

November 25th, 2010

Jim stared at the ceiling, his door was open, but the hallways of the dormitory were as quiet as a graveyard. Any boys who hadn't left yesterday afternoon, had taken off first thing this morning. He had briefly contemplated making the trek to his uncle's house, but when it all came down to it, he didn't feel like going anywhere. He didn't feel like it was Thanksgiving.

"Knock knock," he heard from the doorway. Toby was standing there, wearing casual clothes and leaning against the door frame.

"What are you doing here? I thought you would have hopped in the car with Trent and gone to his folks' house," Jim said.

Toby shook his head and walked inside, it was then that he saw that he was carrying his laptop. "No, I'd never leave you here alone like that. Not at this time of year and not after what just happened," he said.

He set his laptop down on the desk and turned towards Jim, "I also did some digging. I hope you don't mind."

Jim's brow furrowed, "What on Earth could you mean?"

Toby smiled, opened his laptop and when the Macintosh was fully open, Jim could make out a Skype window. Toby hit a key, and stepped back to look over at Jim, "I made a phone call."

The call rang for a few moments on the other end, and suddenly it connected and resolved into an image of his uncle's family crowded around the kitchen table, with a vantage point no more than two feet above the surface. "Happy Thanksgiving!" erupted from the computer speakers.

Jim didn't know what to think, and he was at a loss for words until he felt the tears rolling down his cheeks. "Happy Thanksgiving, everybody."


	13. Always Darkest Before

**Disclaimer** : I own nothing. Thanks to the actors, writers, directors and other crew of Glee.

* * *

January 9, 2011

Clarice texted Toby early in the morning on a Sunday.  **I have to see you today. Can you meet me at 11?**

He would definitely be back from chapel with Trent by then, so he texted back,  **Sure. I've missed you all break**.

 **I heard about your ex coming here and causing a scene** , she sent back.

He tapped in and sent back,  **I had friends with me. I got through it**.

 **Good** , was the last thing he saw before getting up to prepare.

Toby had never really gone to a non-denominational church before coming to Dalton. In fact, with his schedule and family vacations being in various locales each year, he hadn't really gone to a steady church much over the last four years. It was a relief to attend the same place, and hear a new thought from the same pastor each week. He had really begun to rely on it, so he got out his uniform, and headed off to the showers.

Later, as he was adjusting his tie he felt presentable enough to head into the chapel. It took only a few minutes to reach Trent's door and knock. The door opened to, "Oh, hey Toby. I guess you're headed to service," from Adam, his best friend's roommate. The taller boy stepped back from the door, and Toby could see that Trent was laid up in bed still.

He took a tentative step inside and asked, "Are you okay? Normally you're up and ready by 8."

Trent looked over and said with a raspy voice, "I've felt better. Looks like we'll have to skip our post-church meal together."

Adam corrected him, "You won't be having any meals together until the nurse says you're not contagious, which may take several days."

Toby sighed, "Oh, man. If there's anything I can get you, let me know. I am meeting Clarice later today, so I could go to the drug store."

Trent nodded and said, "I'll keep that in mind. You're only a text away."

Toby waved and walked towards the door. Adam stopped him with a light touch on the shoulder, "Hey, if you still want company I'd be happy to go. You'll have to wait until I can change into my blues though."

Toby nodded, smiled and said, "Yeah, I'd like that. I'll wait in the lounge so I'm not tempted to keep Trent talking for half an hour though." Adam nodded in response and ducked back into the room as he closed the door.

* * *

When he and Adam got to the chapel they saw that it was not as full as normal. The pair walked down the aisle until Toby caught sight of a familiar face and sidled down to him along the pew. "Hey, you're William's roommate, right?" Toby asked. "This is Adam," he said.

"I remember you. My name's Tim. You're good friends with Jim aren't you? I haven't seen him since break ended, is he still here?" he asked, obvious concern in his voice.

Toby nodded, "Trent and I convinced him that he should think about finishing the year. He came back last week like everybody else. That doesn't mean he'll finish the year, but it's the right direction to that end."

Tim said, "That's good. I felt guilty because the day we became friends was the day he heard, you know, the news."

"Jim is a strong guy. I'm sure he doesn't associate you with the accident in any way. You should go hang out with him sometime," Toby said.

Adam leaned closer and asked, "Did you go home for break?"

Tim nodded and replied, "I went back home and worked in the volunteer clinic and at the local nursing home."

Adam seemed impressed, "Wow, that's a lot of helping out the medical types. Do you want to be a nurse later on?"

Tim shook his head, "A doctor, but I'll go for licensed nurse practitioner if I have to. I just really want to do things that help people, not just make them feel better."

Adam sighed, "Either way it's long hours, little time off, and little chance you can enjoy your family life unless you force yourself to enjoy every minute you get outside the job. It's always hard giving patients or their loved ones bad news, and you're in debt for a decade or more."

Tim looked over, and said, "So which of your parents is a health care provider?"

Adam said, "My father is an oncologist. My mother runs a non-profit organization."

Toby was shocked, "Wow, your parents are awesome, Adam."

Adam smiled, "Well, my dad was determined to have a home life, so yes, awesome."

Toby was about to reply when Tim tapped him on the shoulder. Pastor Jenkins was approaching the front of the chapel, and service was about to begin.

* * *

Toby parked his car and quickly walked up to the main entrance of Crawford Country Day. Clarice was waiting for him, wearing a heavy coat and a scarf. He smiled at her, and enveloped her in a strong hug through his own parka-like coat while kissing her cheek. Her skin was chill, even though she shouldn't have been outside for more than a minute.

"I've missed you too," she said. "So, do you want to go for a walk, or something?"

"A walk would be nice if it weren't so cold. I may have grown up in the Midwest, but this is too much. Ohio gets snow in amounts worthy of an avalanche," he said.

She smiled at his observation and lead the way into the building. She took him to a reception lounge, rather than towards the dormitory. "We'll have more privacy in here," Clarice explained. She moved to one of the love seats and sat down on its right side. Then she waited for him to get settled in, while doing the same herself. Clarice laid her scarf in her lap and looked at her hands as Toby stripped off his outer layer.

"So, your ex, huh?" she began.

He quickly tried to cut off that line of discussion, "Yeah. Melissa came to town. I didn't expect to see her again for a long time, and she accused me of going on a secret date with my costar behind her back because Amy came to visit." He quickly concluded the thought by saying, "As if she had a right to know who I was dating," under his breath.

Clarice sighed and said, "See, this is part of my problem. I am starting to feel like you're from another world, and the worst part is you aren't, you've just adjusted to things, including super-star levels of relationship drama, that I can't handle."

"That seems sort of like it's from out of the blue. Why didn't you say anything about this before?"

Clarice said, "Because I really like you. In fact, I've fallen in love with you... but you don't love me back."

Toby tried to grasp her hands and get her to look him in the eyes. She pulled her hands away and looked up at him. "You like me, but only as a friend. Even if you tried reciprocating my feelings, that wouldn't change where we are, emotionally," she said.

Toby began to speak, and she held up a hand to silence him. "Toby, I need you to know that I've had a burning desire for you for two months now while you're still working up the desire to be intimate."

"Clarice...," he said.

She shook her head and said, "I've seen it before. I've been here before. It may have been my first crush when I was twelve, but I've been here. You love someone else."

His expression changed to a slack-jawed look of confusion. "I'm not ever getting back together with Melissa. You don't have to worry about that! I do love you, Clarice!"

"It's nice that you think you do, but you're just trying to match my level of passion out of guilt. We're really close friends, but if you loved me, you wouldn't be able to sleep easy at night without having spoken to me that day, and you would have kissed me by now," she said. She finished with, "There's respecting boundaries, and then there's not knowing if you even want to cross them." She stood and smoothed her coat, draping her scarf over her left arm.

He stood and spread his arms wide, looking Clarice directly in the eye and questioning her resolve to walk away from their relationship. "Clarice, I really am not in love with someone else."

She stepped forward, and tenderly placed her right hand on his cheek and said, "I wish you weren't so oblivious to it. It'd make this easier!" She stepped away and her voice caught as he saw tears begin to run down her face, "I'm not going to ruin what friendship we have by trying to warp your feelings for me into what you feel for him."

Toby had begun to reach for her when he processed what she said, and his face switched to an incredulous expression, "What did you say?"

She just shook her head, "You might not really see it yourself yet. You're in love with a boy, Toby, and it's plain to see that he makes you happier than I ever could." Clarice walked away and the last thing she said before heading into the hallway was, "I am going to need space for a while. I can't separate the you that I love from the you that is my friend."

Still dumbfounded, Toby said, "Okay," and watched his formerly almost-girlfriend walk away. Toby wrapped himself up in his coat and trudged back out to his car. The lock stuck when he initially tried to get in, and he slipped on the ice while climbing into the driver's seat. Suddenly all of his luck was bad. Once inside he rested his head on the steering wheel and thought about the finality of what she had said. She didn't even want to see him for the foreseeable future. It was like someone just cut off his arm.

* * *

With an urge for help he reached for his cell phone and checked to see if Trent had called or texted him. When he saw that it was empty he sent over a quick text,  **Bad news**.

In a few minutes he received a reply,  **What's wrong?**

 **Clarice pre-relationship dumped me** , he tapped back to Trent

 **How does that even work?**  he received next.

 **She said she couldn't date me anymore and didn't want to see me** , he replied.

It seemed like it was entirely too long before Trent replied,  **I wish I wasn't sick. HUG**

Toby texted back,  **hug. I'm coming back**  and then flipped the keys in the ignition to start the car.

He only had a few friends he was close with. Sure, they were affectionate, but he didn't have romantic feelings. For instance, his interest in Trent's love life was purely one of concern. Toby wanted to make sure that he was with a guy who deserved him, not someone obsessive like Andrew.

He remembered how he had felt watching them kiss and it wasn't like he was a bigot cause he didn't like watching that, it was because Andrew was all wrong for his best friend and... oh God, he had felt butterflies at that party! It wasn't disgust! The kiss wasn't disgusting!

Toby slammed on the brakes, and skidded to a halt against the shoulder of the road. Cars behind him honked their horns at him as they sped around his inert vehicle. "What am I gonna do?" he asked nobody in particular.

* * *

Two days later, Toby was spending time with Kurt to study for their upcoming geometry test. "I can't believe Mr. Parkhurst is giving us a test at the end of the second week of the new term!" Kurt said as they settled down in one of the dormitory lounges.

"It had to come sometime, he's just getting us ready before he lays my head on the chopping block," Toby replied. He had kept to himself since coming back, and given Trent's medical condition he hadn't felt compelled to see him, which would have incited an awkward moment. It had only been two days since he had actually entertained the possibility there could be something between them, and he wasn't sure what to do about any of it. The thought crossed his mind to ask Kurt his opinion, but he didn't know Kurt  _that_  well.

Kurt looked over at Toby's paperwork and pointed at one of the proofs. "No, that one's the transitive principle."

Toby gave out a small scream and threw his papers into the air before leaning back in the arms of the chair. Kurt smirked and said, "You know, the Warblers throw their sheet music all the time. It may make them feel good for a minute, but it doesn't mean that they don't have to clean it all up later."

Still leaning back with his face parallel with the ceiling, although with his eyes closed, Toby said, "Doesn't matter. My brain hurts."

Kurt planted his chin in the palm of his hand, as his elbow rested on the tabletop. He looked the other boy over and absently said, "Your hair looked better when I could recognize you from TV."

Toby's eyes bolted open and he sat bolt upright, "What?" he asked incredulously.

"Oh, I just wanted to be honest about what I thought of your makeover. We're not actually getting much studying done, so I might as well make small talk," he said.

"Well, I am getting it cut off tomorrow," he said.

Kurt sat back and pursed his lips, "Well, it was a valiant effort. It does make you look adorable, not that I'm stalking you, but it's hardly as carefree as your old shaggy look, which is more you, and it's not so elegant that it screams new you."

Toby chuckled and lifted his bangs from his view with his right hand and threw them out of the way. "I thought you were more into fashion, Kurt?"

"Oh, I am, but when in Rome... it's not like you're going to get away with a custom outfit around here during the school week."

Toby smirked and said, "Too true." He got up to pick up his papers so that he could continue and while leaning over asked, "So why did you say them instead of us earlier?"

Kurt looked confused and said, "I don't understand."

"Earlier you said it makes them feel good, referring to the Warblers. You're a Warbler aren't you?" he asked.

Kurt realized he had dropped a Freudian slip and said, "Okay, it's true. I am a member of the Warblers, but I'm like the obnoxious cousin you introduce at parties and then drag your friends away from."

Toby laughed and asked, "Care to elaborate on that?"

"I don't feel like I'm a Warbler yet. I've been here for two months now and I still feel like an outsider," he said.

Toby nodded and said, "I know what that's like, I can even guess that it's weird because you arrived in November. But remember, some of them had only known each other for less than two months when they met you."

Kurt closed his book and said, "Okay, enough of the Kurt Hummel pity party. New topic. Your love life is a closed book for someone who's been on a million TV screens. What was it like dating the starlets you've been with? Was it all fake? You know set up by your managers?"

Toby sputtered out, "I've only dated Melissa Wright and Clarice. I don't want to talk about either of them like that really, but it was real, both times. I'd never stay with a manager that seriously suggested I date someone for career buzz."

Kurt smiled, "Okay, what's it like to work with Kimberly Chase, then?"

"Um... Great?" Toby responded.

"You know what I mean! She's a singer/songwriter, an actress, and a natural comedic talent! How do you give so much next to someone who shines so brightly?"

Toby looked Kurt in the eyes and said, "I wasn't trying to be flippant. Its great fun to work with Kim. She has an excellent work ethic and is very talented. If Amy's like my older sister, Kim is my long lost twin. We got up to some great pranks, and she asked me to be in those music videos with her. Those were fun. And she's always funny but dedicated on set."

Kurt was taken aback, "Wow, do you have stories like that about everybody in your cast?"

Toby shrugged, "Don't you have stories like this about everybody in New Directions?"

It took Kurt a moment to understand, but he nodded and began a story of his own, "Yeah. It took some time but by the end of last school year, Quinn Fabray was fit to pop. Still, we were like a family by then, and we were on stage at Regionals and had just finished performing. On the way back to the green room her water broke and we all sped to the hospital, where a beautiful baby girl was born."

Toby regained eye contact and smiled, "I've never met a newborn before."

* * *

The next day, Kurt was about to head to his Navigator to return home to Lima. They had just finished a grueling practice session where he had flubbed his backing vocal for Nelly's  _Just a Dream_  by singing along with the melody like an amateur. Needless to say, he wasn't in a great mood. The exuberance of the others, especially Blaine, wasn't enough to bring him out of his funk. Half of them knew he messed up, but it was like they were riding off of the high of tying at Sectionals and didn't care.

"So spill. What's he like?" he heard from behind him in the hallway. Kurt turned and looked to see a young man, thin as a rail, with dark blonde, or perhaps light brown hair.

Kurt adjusted his grip on the book bag slung over his shoulder and asked, "Have we met?"

The other boy walked forward and said, "My name is Martin. And I'm talking about our young Mr. Armstrong. He's barely involved now that the play is actually in performance, and I didn't get to ask him questions, or get to know him while running lines. I just got to run lines with him. Boring."

"You're asking me about dirt on Toby?" he asked, unsure of what this was supposed to mean.

Martin wrapped Kurt's arm in his own, patted his forearm and began to lead him away. "Of course. You have class together. You study together. Do you ever ask him about his love life? Rumor has it he's been dating a girl, but has commitment issues that might point to him being asexual," Martin replied.

Kurt quickly spat back, "It was just the third time studying so far, and asexual is just code for being deep in the closet!"

"Exactly. So, and please forgive me if you've got your eye on him, but what do you know about him?" he asked, with all the feigned innocence of a fox.

Kurt gaped at Martin but the two continued walking all the way to the parking lot. By the time he slid behind the wheel of his vehicle, he felt dirty. Martin wouldn't let go until he told him that he really didn't know anything to tell, rather than insisting that Toby wouldn't appreciate him telling others whatever he might have been told.

* * *

January 13, 2011

Mrs. Reginald looked Jim up and down as he sat in one of the chairs in front of her desk. "Mr. Bartholomew, in light of your superb academic history, the school has decided to grant you a scholarship to pay your tuition for the second term of the year."

Jim's eyes lit up slightly, but he didn't say anything. She reached forward and handed him a check; the check he had written first thing upon returning last week. He reached out his hand and took the slip of paper that was his life savings and pocketed it. "I don't know how to thank you all. All the staff, and the teachers...," he said.

"I can't imagine this class graduating without one of its brightest members, and I honestly believe that what you need right now is as little change in your daily routine as possible," the middle-aged woman said.

She paused and made strong eye contact with Jim before continuing, "That said, if you desire, I do possess a degree in counseling psychology beyond my accolades as an educator. My door is always open."

Jim looked at his hands for long moments and then up at his school's headmistress, and smiled even as the tears began to slide down his face. "I'll remember that, but I want to get through this on my own. It's been seven weeks, and I have good days and bad days, but knowing that I belong here means a lot."

He stood up and said, "If you'll excuse me." Mrs. Reginald nodded and James made his way out of her office.

* * *

That Thursday, Trent stopped by Toby and Jeff's room. Toby hadn't been to see him, or call or anything besides some short text messages all week. He had missed his humor, his presence so terribly he had thought about leaving his bed on Monday. He had finally been ruled not to be contagious late on Tuesday, and then spent Wednesday trying to get caught up on his missed school work.

Toby was laying face down on his bed when Trent made his way inside the doorway. As per normal, his iPod earbuds were in place blasting out something loud, as he read a school book. Not much new was going on there, except that his hair had been cropped back into a more familiar shape, and those obscenely long bangs were gone.

Jeff was nowhere to be seen, so Trent stepped in and walked up to Toby. Now he could make out  _Love Drunk_  by Boys Like Girls. When his shadow interfered with Toby's light the other boy looked up and realized that Trent was not his roommate. He scrambled to sit up, swinging his feet rapidly over the edge of his bed, and nearly ripped out his headphones. "Uh... hey, Trent," he said, with somewhat of an embarrassed look on his face.

"Hi, I was cleared to go back into the world yesterday, but I had the longest day ever, so I didn't come by," Trent said. He figured it he explained why he hadn't contacted Toby, maybe Toby would explain why he had fallen off the face of the Earth after Sunday.

Toby averted his eyes and said, "I was pretty busy too. Just had a geometry test today. I think I barely passed it."

Inwardly Trent sighed, he didn't know if he could take it if he had done something wrong and Toby had been avoiding him on purpose. He thought he'd at least tell him what it was if he had. "So, do you want to go to dinner later?" he asked, trying to keep the somewhat awkward conversation going until one of them could shake the rust and go back to normal.

"Uh... I kind of already promised Jim that I'd go with him, but if you want to come along...?"

Not for the first time did Trent feel jealous of Jim's suddenly close friendship with Toby, and not for the first time did he feel guilty about his feelings. "No, you two go on ahead. I'll see you tomorrow for breakfast instead?" he asked, as he turned to leave. He gave a weak wave and headed for the door.

"Trent?" he heard over his shoulder. When he turned around, Toby was looking directly at the floor, which was uncharacteristic of him.

"Yes?" he inquired. Toby shook his head after a moment, and he thought he saw red creeping into his friend's cheeks.

"Nothing. See you tomorrow," he said, followed by Toby gaining his feet and concluding, "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"Thanks," Trent replied with a smile and headed out the door. He heard the door close behind him, and he stopped in the hallway and rested against the wall. Something was up with Toby. Trent began to feel like some little thing had set him off, and now he was going to alienate himself from Trent. Trent closed his eyes and tears began to form in the corners of his eyes, as he became choked up. He wasn't sure he could take Toby calling their friendship off, but he had agreed to go to breakfast.

Opening his eyes he looked up and down the hall, eyes misting as he raised his hand to dry his tears. Trent turned and moved away as fast as he could, unsure of why he was suddenly so out of sorts. The color in the hallway shifted and it was suddenly dropped into shadow, as Trent pushed away from Toby's door. Electronic beats rose from the silence and played out a full thirty second introduction before Trent began to sing  _Never Gonna Let Me Down Again_  by Depeche Mode.

"I'm Taking a Ride, With My Best Friend"

Trent forged ahead past people waving at him. "I Hope He Never Let's Me Down Again"

"He Knows Were He's Taking Me, Taking Me Were I Want To Be"

"I'm Taking a Ride, With My Best Friend"

As he made the turn towards the outer doors he brushed past several other students. His voice on the verge of cracking, he entered the chorus where he increased volume and stopped in the middle of the hallway singing directly into the camera.

Boys walked past him in the intersection and suddenly disappeared. "We're Flying High, We're Watching the World Pass Us By"

The other hallway occupants reappeared while he continued to sing the chorus, "Never Want to Come Down,"

Finally the boys disappeared once more and Trent stood there alone, singing, "Never Want to Put My Feet Back Down On the ground"

With a purpose, Trent pushed open the main door and walked out onto the winter colored campus. Mist rose from his lips as he slogged to the main building singing.

"I'm Taking a Ride, With My Best Friend"

"I Hope He Never Let's Me Down Again," as he walked he began to clutch himself to ward off the cold.

"Promises Me I'm as Safe as Houses, As Long as I Remember Who's Wearing the Trousers" He shivered in accord with the sentiment of the line.

Finally he reached the main building, "I Hope He Never Let's Me Down Again"

It took only a moment to rip open the door and slide inside. Trent collapsed on a bench right beside the entrance, rubbing his limbs for warmth and looked up forlornly as he again sang the chorus.

"We're Flying High, We're Watching the World Pass Us By"

"Never Want to Come Down,"

"Never Want to Put My Feet Back Down On the ground"

"We're Flying High, We're Watching the World Pass Us By"

"Never Want to Come Down,"

"Never Want to Put My Feet Back Down On the ground"

Trent stood up and smoothed down his blazer before turning towards the Warblers practice room and walked with a vigor he did not feel while repeating, "Never Let Me Down" until the end of the song.

Nick Tambor slid in beside him after four repetitions and began to sing the counter line "See the Stars They're Shining Bright, Everything's Alright Tonight." The song ended and both of them stepped into the Warbler's practice room.

* * *

Jim approached Trent at dinner the next day and said, "I'm staying."

Trent paled for a moment while he adjusted to the sudden appearance of someone in his blind spot, and didn't regain color in his cheeks until after he realized both who had spoken and what had been said. "You're staying till June?" Jim nodded and Trent stood up and asked hurriedly, "You're going to graduate?"

"Well, I think that's more up to the teachers, but yeah," he said sarcastically. Trent made a wordless sound and threw his arms around Jim to hug him. Jim was shocked and awkwardly patted him on the back in the middle of the dining hall.

"I'm so happy for you," Trent said as he released Jim. He looked him up and down and finally got the idea that he wasn't carrying a tray, "Go and get some food, then come sit down!"

"Oh, that's alright. I don't feel hungry today, plus I have a seat against the wall waiting for me," he said. Jim paused, glanced away and then back to Trent. He appeared to be looking for the right words to say, reaching for something to delicately put his next query into context without saying too much. "What's going on between you two?"

"By that you mean Toby and me," Trent said, not even making it a question. Jim nodded and Trent said, "I wish I knew. Ever since I got sick he hasn't been around. We had breakfast together this morning, but it was all small talk. I'm afraid I've offended him somehow."

"Well, I'm not the smartest kid here, at least not when it comes to friendships, but he spent a good ten minutes pretending he didn't see you sitting over here. I kind of expected both of you to congratulate me with the same enthusiasm as you just did, but together," Jim said.

Trent looked around at the sea of blazers and asked, "Toby's here right now?"

Jim nodded and waved as he said in a dry tone, "I like my friends being friends with one another, especially since it was so hard to worm my way inside the circle. Both of you need to figure things out."

* * *

Blaine came into the Warbler's practice room, which Kurt often made into his own study area when the Warblers weren't using it for anything else. Sure enough he spotted the countertenor reading a book with a pad of paper nearby. "Hi, Kurt," he said.

Kurt looked up and smiled, it was a genuine grin, and Blaine was happy to see it grace his friend's face. "Blaine. I wasn't expecting to see you again today. We don't have a hurriedly scheduled practice do we?"

"No, I just wanted to stop by before you headed back to Lima. Being as it's Friday I might not get to see you until Monday rolls back around," he said.

Kurt closed the book and crossed his right leg over his left as he put it down on the coffee table in front of him. "Something on your mind?" he asked.

"Well, a little birdie told me that you might be getting interested in a special someone. I thought you'd have told me sooner...," Blaine admitted.

Kurt blushed and said, "I've told Pavarotti not to be such a gossip."

Blaine smiled and asked, "So, when is your first date with Martin? I can't say he's not good looking, and he does share your passion for the stage and presumably Broadway."

"Martin?" Kurt asked. When Blaine didn't say anything in response, Kurt burst into laughter. "Martin!" he exclaimed while catching his breath.

Blaine was suddenly confused. "So you're not into Martin?" he asked as he sat down next to Kurt.

Kurt shook his head, "No. Martin is busy trying to get into someone else's pants anyway." Kurt hurriedly added, "And not that I haven't fallen in love with someone who was obviously into someone else before, but I'm not after him."

Blaine sighed, "Well, it seemed like Martin was suddenly into you the way he cornered you earlier this week. I suppose his interest going from Warbler to Warbler just seemed natural, we are the rock stars of this school."

Kurt asked, "Oh, so he was chasing you before, eh?"

Blaine shook his head and grinned, "Trent supposedly." Then he leaned his head back, relaxed into the sofa and began to laugh heartily.

Kurt casually snickered and said, "I think that ship has sailed, he's not going for a Warbler at all right now. And before you ask it's too creepy to say who he is after because it seems to be about sexual conquest and nothing more."

Blaine smiled and replied, "Nothing wrong with lust, as long as all parties involved know that's where the journey ends."

Kurt elbowed Blaine, "Well that's a trip I'm not interested in buying a ticket for. Now, are you going to distract me all day or help me with this homework?"

Blaine took one look at it, and said, "Biology? I'll pass." He stood up by planting his hands on his knees and pushing himself off of the furniture. "Have a good weekend, Kurt."

Kurt nodded and turned to follow his form as he headed out the door, "See you later."


	14. Drama

**Disclaimer** : I am your scribe, but nothing more, and I am owner of very, very little.

* * *

January 27, 2011

The Warblers who weren't involved in the play saw a late showing, the penultimate one in fact, of the History Boys. It had been set to run for two weeks, taking up Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday nights each week, and once word had gotten out, it had begun to bring in some real receipts. Tonight the auditorium was packed and it included a mix of people from Westerville and Columbus as well as the usual suspects of people dating Dalton students or related to them in some way.

Adam and a few others had seemed bored throughout the performance, but even Carey had practically assaulted Trent the minute he came off stage. Blaine was surprised that things had been so well put together, but then again, it was near the end of the run. If they hadn't gotten it down by now, no power would have helped them pull through such a performance.

Blaine congratulated Trent on a job well done, "I wish I had come to the first performance. That was amazing, Trent. I'll make sure that Kurt and his friends are here on Saturday for the last one."

"Hey, I'm not above twisting the arms of potential audience members, but let's remember that they have to drive two hours to get here. So don't twist too hard, okay?" he asked, and gave a good natured laugh.

* * *

Toby knocked and waited patiently for the door to open. When it did a minute later he was relieved to see that it was William, and not Tim. He had almost lost his nerve, but faced with William he didn't think he could actually lie. So now he had to get on with it.

"Um... William, I wondered if I could talk to you about something personal?" he asked.

William nodded and said, "Sure, my door is always open for a friend. Come in." He opened the door wider and let Toby inside, waiting until he heard him standing on his left side before closing and locking the door.

Toby looked around and asked, "Is Tim out?"

William nodded and gestured towards his desk chair, while returning to his bed and sitting down. He reached down while waiting for Toby to begin and scratched Aaron Neville behind the ears. The attention caused the dog to raise himself into William's grasp and William then began to pet and scratch under his chin.

"Well..." he began and then stopped, unsure of how to put this without getting in over his head. He trusted William, or he wouldn't even be here, but even discussing this was a bit hard.

William asked without hesitation, "Are you and Trent having a rough patch as friends?"

Toby was floored and then asked, "How did you know?"

He replied while still showing affection to his dog, "It's just about all Blaine has been talking about this past week. I think he's disappointed."

"Yeah, well it's true. I've come to realize that he's gone a bit beyond wanting to be my best friend," Toby said, without malice or further explanation.

He tried to keep the white elephant hidden and out of the tone of his voice, but William being William picked up on it, "How do you feel about your best friend being attracted to you?"

Toby sputtered for a few moments and said, "It didn't bother me when we first became friends, but this is different. I haven't been able to fall back into our normal routine as friends, and I think it's something wrong with me."

William sighed and looked in Toby's direction before continuing, "Are you having trouble with his attraction, the fact that he's developed actual feelings for you, or with the possibility that it might be mutual?"

"How... I mean... William, I...," Toby began. William held up his right hand and said, "Believe me, I know where you are at right now. I had a crush on Blaine and I couldn't sort out my feelings of friendship with the ideal of what I want in a life partner. It turns out that for me, that life partner can't be a male if intimacy is to be involved."

"You experimented with homosexuality?" Toby asked, almost incredulous.

William smirked, thinking about how worried he had been at the time about his friends finding out about his experimentation process. Now he saw he needn't have worried so much, "Well, let's just say I was experimenting with sexuality, period. I didn't have the advantage of being able to ogle people throughout puberty."

"Wow, so you were willing to risk your friendship with Blaine on a chance at a more intimate relationship?" Toby asked, rhetorically.

William nodded and said with a smile, "And other things."

"I haven't been around you and Trent since the very beginning, but I think that if you are having confusion about the depth of your feelings, you should still give him a chance. If you don't, you may end up regretting it for the rest of your life. Especially given how soon you'll be back in the public eye," William said.

Toby stood up and walked over to William. His eyes misted as he looked back and forth between his classmate's left and right eyes, both of which stared straight forward only straying upwards when he sensed Toby standing over him. "I need to go think about this, but thanks for giving me so much to think about, William," he said. Toby was about to reach out and hug the blind boy when he thought better of it, and planted his left hand on William's shoulder and lightly squeezed. He withdrew his hand and made for the door.

* * *

Kurt walked into History the next afternoon and Blaine leaned over once they took their seats, "So, you missed a great show at the Warblers' outing to the play last night."

The slimmer boy seemed exhausted, "I'm sure I did, but we had to go watch Finn almost break his neck last night."

"Well, what about Saturday? You and Mercedes and the rest of your friends could come then. And I know it'd mean a lot to Trent," Blaine said.

Kurt asked, "How much are tickets?"

"Normally they're $15, but Trent can get 2 free ones to each show and the rest for $5 each. You just have to give him the money beforehand so he can leave them for you at the box office," Blaine explained.

Kurt smirked and then laughed, causing the other students to stare somewhat as the teacher finally came in.

"What?" Blaine asked.

"Nothing, I'm just amazed we have an actual box office at this school."

Blaine smiled and asked again, "So you'll come tomorrow night?"

Kurt nodded, "And I'll ask 'Cedes and Tina if they want to come with. I don't know if Rachel would care since it's not a musical..."

Blaine grinned, "Okay, it's a date. I'll see you at 5 p.m. sharp."

Kurt flashed him a curious face but smiled as he said, "I thought curtain up was at 6:45 and that we had to be here by 6:30 to get inside."

Blaine smoothly deflected the unasked query and asked, "Did I forget to tell you to bring an appetite? I must be slipping." Then he smiled while facing front as the teacher began to drone on about their history paper assignment.

* * *

"You're not half bad, Martin. I'll give you that," Kurt said as he peered into the dressing room area. Mercedes and the others were already on their way back to Lima, which was why they had come in two vehicles. Everybody had assumed Kurt would be hanging out with Blaine afterwards. Including Kurt.

Apparently that assumption was somewhat incorrect, because aside from enjoying a nice group meal at the local Breadstix, and watching the play together, Blaine had pushed him backstage alone to congratulate Trent on his performance. Which was how he found himself standing here congratulating the egomaniacal lead instead. He saw Trent up near a mirror removing makeup from his face and waved at him. The brunet smiled and waved back, while Martin turned to face Kurt.

"Not half bad? I was amazing," he said without a hint of sarcasm.

Toby pushed in next to Kurt and smiled ear to ear. "Excellent final performance guys. Martin, that was so well done!" Trent and the other actors looked up and nodded or smiled at their resident, professional thespian's words of praise.

Kurt smirked and made room for Toby to fully enter and said, "Now you've gone and given them all big heads. Burgeoning egos and praise are a recipe for disaster."

Toby turned to look at Kurt as he stepped fully into the dressing room. "Well, I happen to think encouragement and feedback are always warranted. After all, it helps fortify you for the next hundred soul crushing auditions."

He turned back around and Martin stepped directly into his personal space and moved in to kiss him. Toby stepped back two feet and just stared at Martin. "What are you doing, Martin?"

Martin shrugged and said, "You can't blame a guy for trying. I figured you probably hadn't kissed a guy before, and if I stood a chance with you I'd have to stake a claim now."

"You'd be the second guy to try, and the other one was drunk so I can't say I blame him," he said, while standing there and idly looked past Martin towards where Trent was pulling off his costume's jacket and tie. "Uh, I gotta go." He turned on his heels and burst out of the dressing room, and Martin sighed.

Kurt walked forward and grabbed Martin by the lapels, "I can't believe you just tried that! Even when the recipient is gay, that's never a good idea out of left field!"

"What's going on? I heard the words 'recipient is gay' and had to come find out what the argument was about," Trent said as he walked up.

Martin's eyes got fairly big and he said, "Uh... not much?"

Kurt, still angry flashed his brilliant green eyes at Martin and said, "This womanizer just tried to plant a kiss on one of the other students out of the blue."

Martin removed Kurt's hands from his jacket and while smoothing the front said, "I don't think womanizer applies since everyone involved is male..."

Trent gave him a serious look and said, "Don't try to change the subject. Did you just make an unwanted advance on one of our friends?"

When Martin didn't admit it immediately Kurt pressed forward, "I can't believe you tried doing that. Even if he is gay, which is both unlikely and not obvious, you just tried to force yourself on someone who barely knows you!"

Martin got angry and began to scream, "I get it. I'm a horrible person! It's just that of all the boys at this school, Toby shines the brightest and it was obvious I'm never gonna get a shot at even a kiss with him if I didn't initiate something!" Trent mouthed the name Toby as Martin ranted on, "So I'm a jerk, a monster, for wanting physical contact with a cute guy who barely gives me the time of day!"

Martin pushed past both boys and slammed the door to the dressing room behind him. Everyone else's eyes were on the pair who remained behind, and silence dropped over the entire room and settled in for good.

Trent balled up his fists and closed his mouth, the shock finally settling in and turning into anger. He began to turn for the door to find Martin and give him a piece of his mind, or worse his fist to the side of his face, when he felt Kurt latch onto his wrist and hold him in place. "Don't," was all he said.

Trent turned the fire of his rage filled gaze on Kurt, who weathered the stare and reiterated, "Nothing actually happened. He didn't manage to sexually assault him, and punching Martin or throwing him down the stairs is just going to make things worse."

Trent cooled a bit and turned back towards his fellow Warbler, "To think, I was going to ask him out after all this."

Kurt leaned in closely and asked, "Are you sure it was Martin you had planned to ask out?"

Trent's mouth dropped open and he asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"Look, I get it. You're trying to work something out. But I saw how you looked at one another before, and I see how you look at him now," Kurt said. "I may be the only gay teen at this entire school who's been in your position."

Trent stopped and closed his mouth, shut his eyes and took a deep breath. "It's that obvious?"

Kurt shook his head, "It wasn't obvious before you two had your tiff, or whatever it was. Now every time you look at him and he's not looking back you have moon eyes. You're going through withdrawal from the relationship you had unconsciously convinced yourself was enough."

"I don't know what I'm going to do, Kurt. I had a crush on him at the beginning of the year, and then we became good friends, almost like siblings. And we were so good together. But now that there's this wall there, it's back full force, and he can't stand to be around me. I think he sees it and I'm sure what he feels isn't the same," Trent said.

Kurt asked, "Have you told him?"

The other boy shook his head, "I can't. If we're ever to return to being real friends, even if we're not best friends anymore, he can never know for sure that I've fallen for him."

Kurt sighed deeply and leaned back against the tabletop, staring at Trent's unhappy expression.

* * *

February 2, 2011

After several more days of forlorn looks out the window onto the bleak landscape, other people began to corner Trent to give him advice or simply to ask what was wrong. Trent thought he had become better at hiding his attraction because Adam had yet to say anything, but he knew he couldn't keep this up for the rest of the school year.

Maybe Kurt was right. If he never told him, it'd come out eventually. Toby liked honesty, maybe he could try it and at least not get yelled at for stalking him later on. But Trent was really unprepared for the eventual 'No thanks' he was sure to receive in response. Then that'd be it for close contact, maybe all contact ever.

As Trent walked into the Warblers practice room, he looked around and saw that not many of them were already present. Of those who were, he only felt like chatting with Jeff, and that was too close to the subject he didn't want to broach. Maybe he'd get through the day okay if he just sat down on the couch and minded his own business until they began.

As the last Warbler finally arrived, the group began to chatter amongst itself, excluding Trent who sat in a daze. David stood up and said, "Today we are going to perform a number from last year's catalog, but we think it's appropriate as this is the first week of February. Trent?"

Trent stopped moping on the couch and stood to attention, "What? Which song are we doing?"

Thad smiled and said, "Real Love. You're the best soloist when it comes to Mary J. Blige. So get ready, gentlemen. I let slip we'd be singing today at lunch."

Trent felt his heart fall into his stomach. He was of course honored to have the solo in any performance, even if it's more of a practice session, but right now he didn't feel very loved, or very optimistic about his chances for love. Still, that's not really a problem with a torch song like  _Real Love_. Maybe he could channel his feelings into it and give a great performance after all.

The Warblers minus Trent filtered out into the hallway outside their practice room and Carey began laying down the beats normally played on a piano. Dalton students began peering around the corner and ran in. Most all of them focused their attention on Blaine, and inwardly Trent smiled as he entered the room and the Warblers closed ranks behind him as he parted his lips to sing about his particular pain.

Trent belted out, "We Are Lovers Through and Through, And Though We Made It Through the Storm" and several of the senior Warblers set up counter harmonies behind him.

"I Really Want You to Realize, I Really Want to Put You On. I've Been Searching For Someone, To Satisfy My Every Need." Trent wore a coy expression on his face and bobbed back and forth, turning his gaze left and right at appropriate moments.

Trent finished the last line by snapping his head back playfully, "Won't You Be My Inspiration, Be the Real Love That I Need." More students came in and filled the hallway, essentially making it into a venue. The chorus brought in the rest of the Warblers and the thunderous sound filled the hall.

"'Real Love.' I'm Searching For a Real Love, Someone to Set My Heart Free. Real Love. I'm Searching For a Real Love."

They danced right and left in unison as Trent began the next verse, stalking forward like a cat on the prowl. "Ooh, When I Met You I Just Knew That You Would Take My Heart and Run. Until You Told Me How You Felt For Me, You Said I'm Not the One."

Halfway through he stopped and dropped into dance, dipping his shoulders as he moved left or right, and he knew that the Warblers were right behind him keeping time with him. "So I Slowly Came to See All of The Things That You Were Made Of. And Now I Hope My Dreams and Inspirations, Lead Me Towards a Real Love." Trent barely remembered to smile as he came to the end of the verse.

The Warblers laid down the chorus once more, and at the end of it, Trent danced forward making eye contact with several of the boys in the front, "I've Got To Have a Real Love... Love So True and Oh, Baby, I Thought That Love Was You. I Thought You Were the Answer To The Question In My Mind, But It Seems That I Was Wrong, If I Stay Strong, Maybe I'll Find a Real Love." and right after he delivered the line Trent turned on his heel and headed back.

The dancers who had followed him: Nick, David and Jeff, stepped in front of Trent as he receded and performed a synchronized dance during the extended break which had the students pumping their fists in the air in time with the beat. Trent began the next verse and the dancers continued to put on a show. "So I Try My Best and Pray to God, He'll Send me Someone Real, To Caress Me and To Guide Me, Towards a Love My Heart Can Feel. Now I Know I Can Be Faithful, I Can Be Your All In All. I'll Give You Good Lovin' Through the Summer Time, Winter, Spring and Fall."

They dispersed during the chorus as Trent uncapped his emotions and wailed wordlessly like a diva who had been hurt one time too many. "See I'm Searching For a Real Love and I Don't Know Where to Go. Been Around the World and High and Low and And Still Will Never Know, How It Feels To Have a Real Love, Cuz It Seems There's None Around."

Trent literally poured his emotion, his pain, his longing into his last line of the song, rising his voice over the chorus as he seemed to fold under the agony of loneliness, "Gotta End It In This Way Because, Seems He-Can't-Be Found!"

Trent made his way back to his starting position as the other Warblers sang the chorus until the end of the song. The applause was cacophonous, and Trent looked up to somehow spy Toby through the crowd. He was standing near the back, but his eyes were only focused on Trent, and his mouth hung open. As their eyes met, Toby looked away and disappeared behind the other boys. Trent thought that he had read between the lines, so it was time to sink or swim. Many of the Warblers came up to Trent to congratulate him, but his wan smile only went so far with some of them.

Adam stepped up and asked, "What's wrong? You nailed that song, man!"

Trent smiled and looked down, "I'm just emotional about it I guess."

Blaine walked up and put a hand on Trent's shoulder. "He was here wasn't he? You better tell him how you feel, Trent. Trying to stay friends is killing you."

Adam asked Trent, "Who's breaking your heart?"

Blaine looked at Trent and when Trent didn't say anything he turned back to Adam and said, "He won't say, but it's Toby."

Trent's mouth dropped open and then he stood up, composed himself, and said, "Whomever he is. I'll deal with it. Thanks, guys." He stood up and smoothed down his jacket. He turned to Adam and said, "I'll see you later," then he wandered off using a side door so he wouldn't have to pass through all the boys still hanging out in the hallway.

* * *

Toby was sitting on his computer when Trent got to the door. It was wide open, so he stepped inside the threshold and knocked on the door frame. Toby looked over at the door and said, "Hey." He smiled and waved weakly, but he didn't turn back to the computer screen.

Trent looked exhausted, but he made eye contact with Toby and offered, "Do you think you can go for a walk with me?"

Toby looked apprehensive, but nodded and closed the lid of his laptop almost absent-mindedly. He walked to the door and shut it behind him as they stepped into the hall. Within moments he had his key in the lock, "Anywhere in particular you want to walk to?" he asked as the lock slid home.

Trent shook his head, "I just want to walk... get some things off my chest. You don't mind do you?" Trent made it obvious that it was going to be a serious talk, and he was giving Toby an out. Whether Toby knew what the talk was going to be about, or he just felt obligated to listen to his friends' problems he didn't take the exit.

"What's on your mind?" he asked as they made their way to the T intersection that lead to the stairs and the entrance to this wing of the dormitory. The hallway was deserted for once and the shadowed hallways accentuated the seriousness of the conversation.

Trent sighed heavily as they headed down the hall towards the main building and said, "I'm in love, but I haven't been able to tell the guy I like."

Toby asked with all earnestness, "Is he gay?" He listened intently as Trent replied, "I don't know. He's hard to read. Do you think he'd want to know if he's straight?"

Toby nodded, "He's a friend, right? Not just some student in class or someone you met from Westerville?" Trent nodded and Toby thought about it some more before continuing. He had a strange look in his eyes as he said, "If it was me, I'd want to know. You don't make your sexuality a secret, so any friend of yours should understand, even if he doesn't love you too."

Trent stopped walking and started to cry, Toby reached over and drew him into a hug to give him his shoulder. But before that could happen Trent reached up and with tears streaming down his face, he gently grasped Toby's head and maneuvered their lips together. He shuddered as he passionately kissed his best friend, and Toby who had been holding him seemed to stiffen. Then just as quickly he relaxed and reached up with his right hand to lightly caress the back of Trent's head only to freeze a few seconds later.

Toby lightly pulled away and let go of Trent, and stared at his right hand before turning an unreadable expression Trent's way. The other boy backed up, a look of horror on his face as yet again Toby remained inscrutable. Their eyes locked and Toby suddenly turned and ran down the hall.

* * *

Toby ran out of the academy dormitory, jacket flapping in the wind as snow and icy rain poured down on him from above. The side door burst open once more and Trent ran out less than a minute later chasing the older boy as he ran pell mell through the grounds. Toby's glasses got so occluded that he could no longer see where he was going and had to bring his arms up to ward off branches as they whipped him in the face.

Still, he didn't stop running until Trent briefly caught up to him and grabbed for his wrist. Toby yanked too hard in an attempt to free himself and the two of them fell forward and then rolled down an incline, coming to a stop near each other with bushes separating them from the remainder of the grounds and a moderately steep hill between them and the place they had come from.

Trent looked over at Toby, both of them were spent, plainly exhausted. Toby's blazer was covered with splotches of mud and was covered with snow, and his entire upper body was drenched. Trent didn't look much better, and his face was freezing wet as well. Trent stood up and gathered his breath to break the silence first, "You didn't even let me apologize!" He paused briefly trying to figure out a way to put things back like they were, but he realized things could never go back.

Then his anger at his inability to read Toby or to pry the information out of him brought everything to a head, "Actually apologizing would be lying to you." Toby looked over at Trent as the other boy stood up. Toby bent forward, palms on knees, to catch his breath, obvious confusion spread over his features and water dripped from his open mouth. Trent continued, "The day I first met you, I asked if you would have a problem with me asking you out. You didn't say no, you didn't say anything. You dodged it entirely!"

Toby slowly raised himself to a standing position again and replied "Maybe I couldn't give you an answer to a question like that!"

Trent walked over and grabbed Toby by the lapels of his jacket, "Everybody gets inklings by now, you've already gone through puberty! If you're straight just tell me! If you don't like me as more than a friend, tell me!" They stood there, water streaming down from above, searching each other's eyes. "I need to know, Toby! I can't do this anymore! I could tell something was wrong for weeks, and I want to be with you every moment of every day, but when I am with you it hurts because there's this chasm between us!"

Toby cried back, "Trent, you deserve someone who knows he can love you! The truth is everything's been confusing for me! I didn't know how to process what I felt when I saw that guy make a move on you!" Trent stared at Toby, unable to process what that actually must feel like. Toby saw the confusion playing over Trent's face and he concluded, "I've never done more than kiss anyone, and it's never gotten me stirred up before! Kissing you was different than kissing Melissa, but I don't know if that's because it's meant to be or because guys are just different!"

Trent let go of Toby and turned away, casting his eyes down across the snowy, muddy ground as the precipitation continued to drip on them both from above, "I'm a virgin too, Toby. I just feel there's something deeper between us!"

Toby practically screamed at his friend's back, "I didn't come here to have a relationship! After Dalton I go back to Hollywood, to a career!" He caught himself and more calmly stated, "You deserve someone who can be with you, for years to come."

That was the last excuse Trent thought he could hear this afternoon. He turned his back on Toby and said softly, "Just say no, okay, Toby? Say no, so I can move on with my life. This is too damned hard!"

Toby really thought about what it would mean if he said yes. He'd be admitting to himself that he wasn't straight. That he wanted to be with another guy and most likely would for the rest of his life. Then he thought about what it would mean if he said no. He'd close off something within Trent, and he couldn't help but think back to the performance he had witnessed earlier. He'd also close off something within himself, perhaps shutting a door on a part of himself he wouldn't have the courage to explore for many years if he let it go now. They might stay friends, as unlikely as it were to be, but things would never return to how they were.

Then Toby imagined Trent kissing some new guy, remembering Andrew, the boy who'd kissed his friend before, and felt the stirrings of jealousy. He grabbed Trent's left shoulder from behind and spun him around, "I can't say no, because I care about you too much... and... and I don't think I'd like seeing you with someone else. I think I know what that means, but I never had to do anything about it before."

Trent searched Toby's eyes again and said, "Go on."

Toby let go while blushing, evident even through the falling snow and rain, and said, "I think about laying beside you sometimes. Usually we're just lying on a blanket spread over the grass or on a bed. And lately when you hug me, I wish it'd last longer."

Trent smiled through his tears, "I can't say my dreams are quite so chaste, but I think I understand a little." Trent looked down and drew in breath to ask the question he needed to have answered. "Toby, can you see yourself in a romantic relationship with me?" Toby looked at Trent and his mouth dropped open as he contemplated his answer. Trent continued, "I'm not asking if you are gay, or trying to put a label on you. I just want to know if you can see yourself loving me?"

Toby croaked out, "Yes. I think I love you in the same way that you love me." The two boys stood silently for moments longer, the only sound the constant spatter of precipitation. Trent stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Toby's waist drawing him into a deep hug. Toby's arms slowly, but without hesitation, wrapped around Trent, with his right hand clutching Trent's head and drawing him into the nape of Toby's neck to rest his head on his shoulder.

"What do we do about next year, Trent?" Toby asked. "I don't want to break your heart, but in five months I fly back West. Also, I can't guarantee how physical I can be with you right now. I'm willing to try anything to be with you, but until today I'd never kissed a guy. Everything seems so unreal right now," he said, silently holding Trent in a tight embrace.

Trent said, "Right now, I don't care. We can figure everything else out later, and we can go slow." He raised his head to look Toby in the eyes and said, "You need to know that I'd wait a long time to join you if I had to, but we can have this summer if you decide to stay, and then it's only 9 more months until I can leave with my parents blessing. I might even be able to transfer to California for next year!"

Toby ran his arm up Trent's back, but his hand paused and he asked, "What if I can't give you all of me?"

Trent tucked his head back onto Toby's shoulder and answered without missing a beat, "Best bromance ever."

Toby laughed, and it was music to Trent's ears. He had not heard the sound of Toby's heartfelt mirth in weeks. The blonde boy chuckled as he commented, "I never thought I'd ever hear that word come out of your mouth."

Trent thought about forming a snarky reply but just decided that he had better follow through on everything before he lost all his nerve. He smiled widely and then looked Toby directly in the eyes and asked, "So... Toby Armstrong. Will you go out with me?"

Toby slowly nodded and said, "Yes, Trent McAdams. I will." The two of them climbed the hill and walked back, with Trent's arm around Toby's shoulders. They walked in silence towards the main building, shivering, for a minute when Trent leaned in and asked, "So did you really mean you'd try absolutely anything?"

Toby chuckled and slapped Trent's torso with the back of his hand. Trent retaliated by taking his arm off of Toby and trying to tickle him through the layers of wet fabric. This sparked a tickle war as they ran for the safety of the dormitory cackling madly.

They burst into the building and were met with puzzled glances by most of the boys walking the halls. The pair were a truly odd sight, dripping wet, faces red in that way only the frigid get, covered in mud, laughing and out of breath. Toby looked from Trent to the students observing them and then shook with laughter, while Trent just smoothed his jacket like it was all an everyday occurrence as he smiled a knowing grin.

Trent turned to face Toby and asked, "So, I'll see you tomorrow?"

Toby nodded and said, "Of course you will. Do you want to do anything special for dinner?"

Trent's smile widened and he nodded, "That'd be nice. But we'll just see, okay?"

Toby waggled his eye brows while grinning and said, "Okay it's a prearranged, social engagement, then," causing Trent to totally lose his composure and cackle as he reached over and hugged Toby once more before heading towards his room trailing water droplets through the hallway.

Toby turned towards his own room and made his own trail of liquid as he made it to the door, fished his key out of his pocket and opened the door. He worried that he'd have to get the jacket dry cleaned to get it clean enough, but dry cleaned or not he didn't know what else to do with it for now, so he hung it off the back of his chair and stripped off his outer layers. He grabbed his towel and dried himself as best he could, letting his hair remain somewhat damp as he got into a t-shirt and sweat shorts. He grabbed his iPod and put it on the base of his speaker and set it to play.  _Sparks Fly_  by Taylor Swift began to fill the room as he gathered up the rest of his wet clothes.

It wasn't until he heard the lyric "Drop Everything Now, Meet Me In the Pouring Rain, Kiss Me On the Sidewalk, Take Away the Pain," that he just stopped doing needless activities and fell down onto his bed, lying there while listening and thinking of Trent.

"Get Me With Those Green Eyes, Baby, As the Lights Go Down. Give Me Something That'll Haunt Me, When You're Not Around."

Toby thought about Trent's hazel-green eyes, and the sparkle of his smile when he was truly happy and not just amused. He sighed as the song continued to wrap around him, and he longed for Trent to hold him right then and there.

* * *

Kurt rubbed Trent's back as the larger boy coughed underneath the covering of blankets trying to get warm. "So what happened? You must have been outside for at least ten minutes to get this soaked."

Trent smiled as he shivered, "I got an answer."

Kurt stepped back, gasped and came around to look Trent in the eyes. "You didn't?"

Trent kept smiling and just nodded.

It didn't take any time for Kurt to descend to a chair facing Trent and ask, "What did he say?"

Trent's smile broadened even further and he said, "Guess."

Kurt leaped out of the chair and hugged Trent, "Trent! That's such good news. I know how hard it can be to have feelings for someone who's incapable of returning them." Kurt was referring to the unhealthy crush he had on Finn last year, back before their parents decided to get married. Trent knew the gist of the story by now so he didn't ask for elaboration. Kurt asked, "So did Toby say anything at all beyond how he felt about you?"

Trent responded, "I formally asked him out after I kissed him. God! I have to do everything backwards!"

Kurt asked, "But he said yes?" And Trent nodded. Kurt asked, "Did you know he was gay when you asked?"

Trent said, "No. I think I wouldn't care if he's gay, asexual, or just bi-curious. I love him, and he likes me back and wants to try."

Kurt deflated a bit at this, and said, "Well, for most people asexual is like baby steps to coming out as gay. If he didn't close every door after you kissed him, he's certainly has some feelings for you." Trent rubbed his limbs, trying to work more heat into them as he shook sitting still. Kurt sat back down and said, "So have you thought about what it will be like 5 years from now if he's really straight?"

Trent shook his head slowly, making eye contact with Kurt before explaining his view, "I'm holding out hope he can really be with me. Of course I am, but you know..." he paused and looked out the window at the chill night just beginning to slack off from the constant downpour, "love is bigger than just sex."

Kurt smiled, thinking back to his own imaginings of the romantic outings his future boyfriend would take him out on. Trent smiled and continued, "His feelings aren't confused, whether he knows anything about his sexuality or not."

"Well, you should just be glad I saw you coming as I was leaving to head home. You two are idiots, standing outside confessing your love for one another in a snowy rainstorm, in Ohio, in the middle of winter!" Kurt said, playfully angry.

Trent smirked until he sneezed, which prompted Kurt to laugh out loud. "I'm off to the drugstore for vitamins. When I get back with them, you both will take them or I'll sell your secrets to the National Inquirer!"

Trent laughed until he began to cough and just waved at Kurt as he ran off to the parking lot.


	15. Emergent Feelings

 

**Disclaimer** : I'm just writing what I want to see, not meaning to infringe on ownership.

  


* * *

February 14, 2011

  


Christina sat back and spoke into her cell phone, "So tell me again. You went all the way to Fashion Place and flash mobbed a Robin Thicke tune in the middle of the day?"

  


David sheepishly grinned as he admitted, "Embarrassing, huh?"

  


"Not if you were your usual amazing selves, but why on Earth would you want to perform in the Gap?" she asked.

  


He tried to put it into perspective, "We were doing a favor for Blaine, but it ended in tears, or at least in utter disappointment."

  


Christina paused and said simply, "I see." She smirked to herself as she imagined the Warblers, young men in matching outfits singing and dancing in the middle of a Mall store. She regained herself, stuffing the amusement down to say, "Well, I hope you've put it behind you. At least enough to feel like going to dinner tonight?"

  


David perked up and said with conviction, "Tonight is something I've been looking forward to all year."

  


She quipped back, "The year's only one and a half months long so far. You haven't had to wait that long, Baby."

  


He shrugged even though she couldn't see it on her end and said, "What can I say, I'm a focused, one intimate event at a time kind of guy."

  


Christina laughed and said, "You always know what to say. Alright, I'll pick you up at five."

  


He smirked as he asked for clarification, "You're picking me up?"

  


"Yes I am. So you better be dressed in something that complements red and don't keep me waiting primping in the bathroom," she said.

  


"You know me too well. Happy Valentines," he said.

  


"Until tonight," she responded.

  


* * *

Toby and Trent were lying on Toby's bed, blazers elsewhere and ties loosened, staring at each other as they lay on their sides. "So if you didn't have practice today, would you even climb off this bed?" Toby asked.

  


Trent smiled and replied, "No, I wouldn't leave your arms if both our roommates and a dozen other guys wouldn't come looking for me."

  


Toby smiled and then looked self-consciously away. He began speaking with an apologetic tone to his voice, "Trent, I was so conflicted with whether Clarice was right or not, and then when I figured myself out a little, I didn't want to make any moves..."

  


Trent interrupted him, trying to stifle that line of thought, "Shush... you don't owe me any explanations about that. You said yes remember?" Things were still new, and they were taking things slowly, but all in all Trent was happy, and he didn't want Toby thinking he was anything but.

  


"Yeah, I guess I did," Toby said, leaning closer to plant a kiss on Trent's lips. He searched his boyfriend's hazel irises with his blue eyes and said, "So it's getting close to time..."

  


"How can you tell?" Trent asked.

  


"Because everybody usually gets settled in by 3:30 and it's getting quiet out there," he said in reply.

  


Reluctantly withdrawing himself from cuddling with Toby, Trent sat up on the bed and flashed a sheepish grin at him. Toby sat up and smiled, "What was that for?" he asked.

  


"Oh, nothing," he replied as he stood up, and smoothed down his dress shirt. He reached over and grabbed his blazer where it lay in a bundle on Jeff's bed. He also drew up a red bag with it, and turned and presented the bag to Toby. "Happy Valentine's Day."

  


Toby blushed and accepted the bag, not even looking inside before responding, "Thanks. I didn't know what to do. I've never understood the etiquette of when presents become appropriate and since you're a guy I wasn't even sure what I should buy." He looked inside and his jaw dropped open.

  


"I can't believe you got me this! It's so wonderful," he said drawing out a dark sepia colored teddy bear made in a classic style reminiscent of the original Winnie the Pooh illustrations. It was ten inches tall sitting down and didn't have any embarrassing slogans or mushy writing attached to it. The perfect gift for a guy who liked plush toys.

  


"Etiquette is a great big mystery to me. I saw that, and thought you'd like it. And I know society has all these rules for how soon is too soon for gifts, or what the guy in a relationship is supposed to do," Trent said. He smiled, making eye contact again and continued, "but we're both guys and neither of us should feel like we need to pretend to be a girl in this relationship. Do what makes you feel comfortable and happy."

  


Toby stood, deposited the bear on his bed and walked over to Trent to give him a big hug. He followed it up by passionately kissing him once more, the kiss beginning to blossom into something more when Trent wrapped his right hand in Toby's locks of hair. Then just as suddenly, Trent pulled away his hand and broke contact.

  


Still looking Toby in the eyes he explained, "He's a reminder that you're my teddy bear. You make me feel secure, and I love to cuddle you in my arms."

  


"Trent," Toby said as he shyly adjusted Trent's tie to Dalton Academy regulation.

  


Trent continued, lifting Toby's chin to regain eye contact, "Don't ever forget that I love you. Okay, Toby?"

  


"I don't see how I could!" Toby said in response and Trent nodded at that. He then walked towards the door.

  


Toby continued with a bright eagerness, "I'm taking you out for dinner after practice, and then we're going to get chocolate cheesecake for dessert and we're not going to regret a single thing about today!"

  


"Mmmm, I can't wait. See you soon, Teddy!" Trent said, trying out a pet name, with a wave.

  


"Bye, baby. I can't wait."

  


* * *

"Emily, don't you think today is a horrible day for a date? I mean, there's all kinds of couples crowding restaurants and it's not even evening yet," Aaron said, looking down into the eyes of the demure blonde who was standing next to him.

  


Her green eyes looked back up into his baby blues, and she smiled sweetly while saying, "I know it might be hard for you to take, but just because I said yes doesn't mean we're a couple... yet. If you want to make it to boyfriend, you'll pick a nice romantic location and you'll escort me there before the end of the day." She continued to smile and Aaron's sheepish grin grew as he pushed his black bangs from his face.

  


"Although now would be best, since we're already standing here doing so very little. And don't try to pick some place expensive. I'm not dating you because I expect to be wined and dined, you lug," she said continuing.

  


"Yes, ma'am," he said. She laughed at that and slapped his arm lightly in protest.

  


The girl sighed and said, "Okay, you're off the hook this year. I know just the place, so let's get to my car!"

  


The pair walked quickly to Emily's vehicle and then drove several miles to a location far from either school. As they parked, Aaron looked out the window at the scene before him and blanched. "You can't be serious? Ice skating? I can't even roller skate!" he protested.

  


Emily laughed and said, "It's a good time to learn. Let's go, tall, dark and inexperienced."

  


Aaron groaned, rolled his eyes and gathered courage to step out of the car and towards the skating rink. He mumbled to himself, "I'm gonna fall, break my tail bone and miss a month of work..." then he looked after Emily as she started towards the door and smirked, "It'll be worth it," before hurrying after.

  


* * *

Jeff returned to his dormitory room with Trent in tow. The pair talked about Sectionals, and the upcoming Regionals competition. They both remarked how Kurt had been right. Performing at the Gap had boosted their confidence, and made them better performers.

  


"So, I am excited about all the changes going on. The council is letting me choreograph more, and our moves are getting tightened up!" Jeff said, to which Trent just snickered. "What?" he asked, confused as he fumbled with the key in the lock.

  


"Oh nothing, I just heard, 'tight end up,'" Trent replied, trying to sound innocent.

  


Jeff thrust the door open and stepped inside, speaking over his shoulder to Trent, "Your mind has gotten positively filthy since you started making out with my roommate. Hey, Toby."

  


Toby immediately blushed and stood up. He smoothed out his blazer, making his blues as presentable as he could before walking towards Trent who was waiting at the door. "Hey, Jeff," then turning to look up at his date, "Are you ready?"

  


"Yeah, but I have to remind you of the time table. We are scheduled to perform in Lima around 9, so just keep in mind you need to get me back here by 6:30," he said.

  


"Check. I need to get you back to the parking lot of the ghost town by 6:30 pm," Toby said, before grabbing Trent's hand and racing out the door. "Bye, Jeff!" Jeff just shook his head as the two made their way to the exit full tilt. Still, this was the happiest he'd seen either of them all year, and he couldn't help but hope things worked out in the end for them as a couple.

  


Jeff turned on his computer and sat down to a chat he had scheduled with Adriana for today. She felt that Valentine's Day was a poor holiday for lovers and insisted that if they celebrated their love, it wouldn't be by giving in to the commercial excess of greeting card companies and florists. She even mentioned a date in March, exactly one month later, that sounded more appropriate to her. It was something she had seen in a japanese love story once.

  


He signed in to his IM client and was rewarded with an instant incoming message.

  


Hey, love. How was your Monday? she asked.

  


Jeff smiled and began typing, Kinda wonderful. Practice went very well today.

  


Oh? Maybe I should come watch next time. Wednesday, right? she queried.

  


Sure, if you want, he replied.

  


Ok. I'll be there as soon a class let's out here, Adriana sent back.

  


Jeff quickly fired back, I can't wait. Miss you.

  


Within moments he received a response, I miss you too, but it's a school night and everybody is Valentines crazy tonight.

  


Then a moment later he saw, I'll work on my homework, so nothing stands in the way of me spending time with you on Wednesday.

  


That sounds like a plan, he returned. See you soon. I better get to food before they dismiss the dining hall staff early.

  


Hurry up, J. Love you, he read and smiled even wider, before closing the lid of his laptop and rising from his desk.

  


* * *

Aaron was sore, and indeed his butt hurt as he glided towards the wall and nearly lost his balance again as his feet sought to go in different directions. Emily was a natural of course, or a skating champion. He wasn't sure just yet which story fit better. He groaned as he collided with and latched onto the wall. "No more torture today please," he said.

  


Emily skated up and came to a skillfully abrupt stop. "Hey, you big baby. You've done very well for a beginner. Be proud of that and persevere," she said with a smile. She leaned forward and tapped him on the chest, causing Aaron's heart to begin to race and his mind to grow less focused.

  


"Uh, do you ever learn how to stand up on these blades without breaking an ankle?" he asked.

  


She grinned and took his hand, "You'll be skating backwards in no time. Now try to remember that you push off with your back leg and glide on your front one. You don't try to step at all."

  


Aaron gave her a pained look and said, "Oh, brother," before letting her drag him away from the wall once again.

  


* * *

Toby smiled as they returned to the parking lot. He left the car on to keep the heat going, "I had a great time at dinner. Are you sure you don't want me to drive you to Lima? I always like watching you perform."

  


Trent smirked and smiled at his love, "No, you need to let us in the dormitory when we get back. If you come with us, we'll have to call Reggie instead and get chewed out for breaking curfew en masse."

  


"I thought curfew was relaxed because its expected that nobody will be in by 9:30 tonight?" Toby asked as he removed the keys from the ignition.

  


Trent explained, "We won't even be back by 11. We can't break the laws of physics, or the speed limits in order to get here in less than 45 minutes." He then reached over and drew Toby into a deep and lengthy kiss. Toby closed his eyes as he kissed him back until Trent pulled away, leaving a rosy glow on the blonde boy's cheeks.

  


"I never get tired of that," Trent said right before he popped the door handle and got out of the Impala. Toby was illuminated by the dome light, and he quickly sped to get out before anybody saw the heat that was flooding his cheeks and ask questions. He might be in heavenly bliss right now because of Trent, but aside from the Warblers and a few other friends, nobody knew they were going out. He hadn't even told his cast mates that he and Clarice were no longer dating yet.

  


"First things first," he said to himself. Toby headed inside the dormitory, determined to shrug off his blues and settle in for the three hour long wait for the Warblers to get back.

  


* * *

Someone was sitting at the grand piano in the auditorium playing a few lines when Carey passed by and heard the sound. He stepped in and in the dim light was able to make out a boy up on the stage and he slipped into a chair to listen. The boy then began to play a song, with powerful themes, but moments of fragility to the melody. It was definitely a modern piece expressed in a classical mode, and Carey was almost overcome by the emotion. It made him sad, but then immediately reversed it into determination to succeed.

  


When it was all over, and the last notes hung in the air to finally fade into the open space, Carey stood and walked towards the front clapping loudly. The boy stood and hurriedly put the key cover back in place to prevent dust as he turned to leave.

  


"Bravo!" Carey said as he got closer. It wasn't until he had reached the wall separating the orchestra pit from the stage that he was able to make out William standing next to the bench. "Hey, William. I didn't know you played piano. What was that amazing song?"

  


William turned to his voice and bending over to grasp for the harness at his feet he said, "It's a piece I wrote titled 'Optimism in the face of Nothing'. You weren't supposed to hear it, Carey. Why aren't you out on a date or something?"

  


As Aaron Neville led William away from the piano and towards stage left, Carey thought he could make out an embarrassed expression on his face. "Well, I may talk a great game, but I have yet to find a girl who turns me on with more than her body and likes my corny sense of humor," he said.

  


"And yet you can say that with a smirk on your face," William said with a grin which Carey only made out because of the patch of light near the stairs.

  


"You're not gonna change the subject that fast. You're talented, and easily embarrassed. Why the red cheeks, William?" Carey asked as the pair descended the stairs one at a time. Carey made room and fell into step on William's left side as they headed up to the main hallway.

  


William smiled and confided in Carey, "I don't consider myself a musician, so I never perform live. I'm a composer, and I don't have lots of venues to express that. Although everybody keeps telling me I need to."

  


Carey snorted, "Well, you are talented, and if you don't want to perform that's too bad. And maybe everybody keeps telling you that you need to show off your stuff because it's good."

  


"Nobody but you and my parents have ever heard any of my compositions before," William said.

  


Carey gave a short laugh and said, "Well, I feel honored then. I look forward to the next performance. Maybe this Spring you could organize a concert."

  


William said, "Sure. Sure. Just let me move to another zip code before the performance, ok?"

  


"Is it because it's me or are you normally this self-conscious when someone hears you perform?" he asked.

  


William came to an abrupt halt and said, "I think it's a little of both. You're a Warbler, so you know music very well, and I've never let anybody hear my stuff before. It's flattering that you appreciated the song, but I can't help but fear a critical peer review. Especially since I wasn't expecting anybody to be around the main building tonight."

  


Carey clapped William on the shoulder and said, "Dude, I'm not a very critical person, but in my considered opinion as a Warbler... that song was excellent."

  


William laughed and they parted ways, with William headed towards the dormitory building and Carey continuing on to the Warbler's practice room.

  


* * *

February 16, 2011

  


Adriana walked to the door of the Warblers' practice room at 4:30, and saw two familiar boys sitting on a bench out in the hall. She walked up, and said, "Hi, guys. Do you normally listen to the Warblers out in the hall?"

  


William looked up and said, "Adriana! So nice to see you again. Yes, I often listen to the Warblers practice from this vantage point."

  


Toby spoke up and said, "I usually don't wait out here, but yeah, unless they are performing I've never heard of anybody just sitting in."

  


Adriana cocked an eye brow at that and fixing Toby with her gaze asked, "Oh? So why are you here then? Keeping William company? Are we getting the band back together for regionals?"

  


William smirked and Toby laughed, "Trent told me to be here by 4:30 today, so here I am."

  


"You both are coming to Regionals, right?" William asked, with a smile on his lips.

  


"I don't see why I wouldn't," Adriana said.

  


Toby beamed at William, "Yup."

  


William said, "Then we've no need to audition new members," matter of factly.

  


Adriana began to laugh, and only ceased when the door to the practice room opened and two boys framed with light from the large windows peered out into the hall and stepped into the hall. As they approached, they quickly resolved into Jeff and Trent, who walked up to the group.

  


"There you are," Jeff said, offering his arm to Adriana. She wrapped her arm around his elbow and said, "Sorry I'm later that I said I would be."

  


"That's no big deal, it let us prepare a little," he responded. She mouthed 'prepare?' as he began to lead her inside.

  


Trent waved towards the room and said, "Come on fellas."

  


William stood up, not one to refuse an invitation to get a better listen, but Toby looked confused as they walked inside. "What's going on? You guys never practice in front of guests inside the room," he stated.

  


Trent wrapped his right arm around Toby's shoulders and began to rush him inside. "Nevermind about that," he said, a slight smirk playing across his face. By the time William was directed to a couch, Trent was pushing Toby into a chair next to Adriana at the far end of the room.

  


Trent quickly ran to his place amongst the other Warblers and Jeff stepped forward and began singing the solo, "So Many People Gonna Say That They Want You," as the Warblers voiced the backing vocal seconds before. The Warblers sang wordless notes in cascading notes to fill out the room as Jeff continued, "To Try to Get You Thinking They Really Care."

  


"But There's Nothing Like the Warmth of the One Who Has Put in the Time, And You Know He's Gonna Be There."

  


Jeff stepped forward, emoting with his hands as his eyes were only for Adriana, "Back Your Border When She Knows Someone Crossed It,"

  


"Don't Let Nobody Put You Down, Who You're With."

  


"Take the Pain of Protecting Your Name, From the Crutch to the Cane to the High Wire."

  


Jeff began the chorus, leading the Warblers forward as he approached the seated pair, "I'm in Love With a Girl Who Knows Me Better, Fell for that Woman Just When I Met Her. Took My Sweet Time When I Was Bitter, Now Someone Understand."

  


Jeff leaned forward and Adriana blushed, "She Knows How to Treat a Fella Right, She Gives Me That Feeling Every Night, Wants to Make Love When I Wanna Fight, Can Someone Understand Me?"

  


"I'm In Love With a Girl" and Trent sang descant "I'm In Love With..."

  


"I'm In Love With A Girl (I'm In Love With)"

  


The Warblers broke it down into wordless doo-wop sounds as a bridge as Jeff turned away and started heading into the background.

  


Trent stepped in front of the retreating Jeff and sang out, "Out the Many Broken Back Doors and Windows, Through the Valley of the Love of the Lost,"

  


"Is a Hole That Is Cut Through the Souls Falling Down, From the Thrones Without Needing Innuendos."

  


"But You Found Inner Peace For the Moment, But That Moment Was Over in Time."

  


"Then It's Gone the Hit and Run the Dipless One Leads a Short Life."

  


Now Trent sang the chorus, while staring at Toby, "I'm in Love With A Girl Who Knows Me Better, Fell for the Woman Just When I Met Her, Took My Sweet Time When I Was Bitter, Now Someone Understand"

  


"Yes She Knows How to Treat a Fella Right, She Gives Me That Feeling Every Night, Wants to Make Love When I Wanna Fight, Does Someone Understand Me?"

  


"I'm in Love With a Girl," and this time Jeff sang the descant "I'm In Love With"

  


"I'm in Love With a Girl (I'm in Love With)"

  


Trent continued into the next verse, "I'm Gonna Tell You What You Do To Make You Practice What You Preach, But Now I Know There's Nothing We Can't Reach."

  


"'But a Heart Can't Erase Once It Finds a Place to Be Warm and Welcome, To Be Held and Sheltered."

  


Jeff stepped up beside Trent and began singing the Chorus with him, by alternating lines. First Jeff sang, "I'm in Love With A Girl Who Knows Me Better, Fell for the Woman Just When I Met Her." Then Trent came in with, "Took My Sweet Time When I Was Bitter, Someone Understand!"

  


Jeff sang, "She Knows How to Treat a Fella Right, Gives Me That Feeling Every Night," followed by Trent, "Wants to Make Love When I Wanna Fight, Can Someone Understand Me!"

  


Both of them sang in unison, building off of each other's voices, "I'm in Love With a Girl" and this time Blaine provided the descant line "I'm In Love With."

  


"I'm in Love With This Girl (I'm In Love With)"

  


"I'm in Love With This Girl (I'm In Love With)"

  


"She Wants to Make Love When I Wanna Fight, Can Someone Understand Me?" they finished together and the Warblers as a unit crossed their hands in front of themselves and looked down at the floor.

  


After a moment, William clapped excitedly in the background. When his applause was over, both Adriana and Jeff speechlessly stared at one another. Jeff finally found the breath to ask, "So what did you think?"

  


Adriana leaped out of her chair and flung both hands around his neck and brought their noses nearly together while staring into his eyes, "I love you too."

  


Trent smiled and walked up to Toby who smirked and asked, "So you're in love with a girl, huh?"

  


"Don't get fake mad at me. You know the Warblers don't gender swap lyrics," he said with an easy smile on his lips. Trent held out his hand and Toby blushed before taking it and being pulled out of the chair. Adriana was somewhat floored by this development. She didn't even know that the two of them were more than friends until this moment. She almost didn't hear him say "Thanks for serenading me with Gavin DeGraw, I loved it."

  


When she turned back to Jeff with a question on her lips, he just shook his head and smirked. That was the signal for 'I'll tell you all about it later', so she knew she could just go back to being in the moment with her boyfriend. Boyfriend. Now that she thought about it, they hadn't been using labels so far.

  


"Jeff, you know we've been together for weeks but we never did say boyfriend-girlfriend out loud before," she stated.

  


Jeff smiled and said with a twinkle in his eyes, "It didn't bother me. Just knowing you care about me is enough."

  


Adriana responded, "Not anymore. I want you to be proud that you're in a relationship with me and feel comfortable telling anybody who asks."

  


Jeff turned to the group and yelled out, "Did you hear that? I've officially got a girlfriend!" causing the entire room, including Adriana, to burst into laughter.

  


* * *

The next day, Kurt was having coffee with Blaine, and the pair were talking about the successful serenade. "So, are you over your bitterness at this time of year now?" Kurt asked.

  


"Maybe a little bit. I'm happy that Jeff and Adriana are happy. I hope they keep it up through college, but..." he said, leaving things lingering.

  


"But what? You're not happy for Trent?" Kurt asked.

  


"No, I am, but it just seems like it could never last. Even if he isn't like all those fickle TV heartthrobs, he's not going to stay in Ohio next year. They've got only a limited amount of time together before the inevitable breakup."

  


"Don't think like that. It reminds me of Finn and Rachel," he said.

  


"Your brother is dating Rachel again?" Blaine asked.

  


"No, he's not. He's dating Quinn right now, but they have this majorly star-crossed ongoing love affair, and it's not over yet. Yet Rachel has her sights set on Broadway after graduation," Kurt explained.

  


Blaine sighed and said, "I see. So, you're hoping that a relationship like this could work, so theirs has a chance as well if they get back together?"

  


Kurt nodded, "I may not like Rachel that much, but she's extremely talented, and she made Finn sickeningly happy for a while."

  


Kurt downed the remaining liquid in his cup and said, "I just want everybody I care about to have a future, and I want them to be happy."

  


* * *

February 19, 2011

  


Trent was studying in the Warbler's Practice room, his usual Saturday retreat. He was furiously working on algebra problems when Toby knocked on the door and poked his head inside before hearing a request to enter. Trent and the other small group of Warblers who were inside looked up and Trent pushed himself away from his table seat to meet him out in the hallway.

  


Trent closed the door behind him and smiled as he turned to fully face him. Toby stood there wearing his parka coat, but his cheeks and nose were still red from the trip over. Toby smiled and blushed as he said, "I uh... definitely feel good about holding your hand, or even kissing you now. I don't think it's just different any more."

  


Toby looked downward and said, "The last two weeks of my life have been amazing, and we don't have to go so slow now... if you want to... when you feel like it." He looked up, and Trent was pleased to see the emotion flitting across his demure gaze amid the shy self-consciousness... desire.

  


Trent nodded, "So you pulled me out of study time to go make out?" He said it as a partial admonishment, but his own longing was evident to soften the blow.

  


"Um... no, just that I feel comfortable going further is all," he said. Trent's eyes lit up and he smiled widely and just said, "I'll be right back." He ran back inside the practice room and when he emerged he had on his winter coat, scarf and had slung his bag over his shoulder. "Come on," he said, as he grabbed Toby's hand and led him out, practically running down the halls.

  


Once they were back to the dormitory, he slowed down and escorted Toby to Adam and his' room. Trent blushed as they stopped outside the door, and he knocked. When there wasn't a reaction he reached for his keys and unlocked the door. After ducking inside he stepped back into the corridor and pulled Toby inside.

  


He reached up to his collar and began loosening his tie. He slipped it off of his head without undoing it entirely, "Take off your tie, teddy." Toby seemed confused but he also undid his tie and handed it to his boyfriend. Trent didn't waste any time in slinging both ties on the outside door knob, synching them closed and shutting and locking the door.

  


"Doesn't that seem a bit like... flaunting, baby?" he asked Trent as he turned around and into a full embrace in his arms. They stared at each other's eyes for a minute before Toby tip-toed up, leaned forward and gave Trent a long kiss on the mouth. The intensity caused Trent to automatically lean down and allow the soles of Toby's feet to return to the ground.

  


Trent ratcheted up the passion and strongly gripped his back while drawing him into a series of kisses. They wandered slowly backwards into the room, headed toward Trent's bed. He parted to allow Toby to breathe and said, "Yes, but trust me. Adam wouldn't want to walk in on us naked." Toby's blue eyes lit up and he shrugged out of his jacket. Trent did the same and looked down at Toby's waist as he began to undo his dress shirt as well. He confirmed what he thought he had felt earlier when they were locked together, and the sight gave him all the assurance he needed to know it was right between them.

  


Toby reached forward, long-sleeve shirt still hanging open exposing the patterned t-shirt underneath, "Come here." as Trent exposed the plain white undershirt he was wearing as his bottom layer. Toby drew him into another deep kiss as he shrugged his dress shirt off and brought his arms up around his boyfriend. When they separated this time he looked Toby directly in the eyes and said, "I love you." Toby blushed and he responded, "I know. I love you too."

  


* * *

February 21, 2011

  


Trent walked into the Practice room on Monday afternoon and half the Warblers present, including Carey and his own roommate, Adam, began hooting and congratulating him in the most lowbrow of ways. Some of the others, Nick and Michael, clapped him on the back.

  


Michael threw an arm around his shoulder and laughed as Trent turned a bright shade of red. "Now you have to start giving me advice!" he exclaimed. Trent shook his head and smirked, "You'd better ask someone else unless you want advice on how to almost screw everything up with your potential boyfriend or girlfriend, Mike."

  


"Michael," he corrected, and Trent and several others burst into further laughter.

  


Trent carefully and kindly shook everyone off of him and said, "Hey, seriously guys, Toby's my first boyfriend. You're gonna need to cut this type of stuff out."

  


Nick said, "Hey, we're just ribbing ya. We know to keep it civil around non-Warblers."

  


Trent smiled and said, "I just really love him and I don't want you scaring him away by being overly anxious observers!" Then he tacked on, "You're worse than my parents would be!"

  


Kurt walked in, breathing hard, and asked, "What'd I miss? Do we have sheet music yet?"

  


Trent laughed, and Wes smiled right before saying, "No, but that's the attitude we need."

  


"Someone call David. We're ready to go!" Nick exclaimed as Jeff bounced down the short flight of steps and into the room.

  


**  
**

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Time to update the cast listing just a bit. I've been hinting at who portrays Josh Barnett and Joshua Michaels, but this is it. Michael's last name is Parsons by the by. Don't know how much space he'll get in the future, but we'll see.  
> Warblers: Matt Hall/Joshua, Aaron C. Page/Josh, Brock Baker/Michael


	16. A Night Out

**Disclaimer** : I don't own Glee, please don't hurt me.

* * *

February 25, 2011

4 o'clock rolled around, and Jeff hurriedly dialed Adriana, his girlfriend. He almost couldn't believe they had been an official item for ten days now. It was a small difference, and it didn't change how he felt about her, yet it was such a big deal at the same time. After three rings he heard the call connect. "Hi, Sweetie!" she said as she answered the phone.

"Hey, baby. I was wondering if you had any plans? Warblers practice was canceled unexpectedly and I'm not really feeling like eating in the dining hall tonight while Toby and Trent run around on the town," Jeff said.

"I meant to talk to you in more detail about that," she said. "Toby being gay is a whole new side to him that I didn't even imagine!"

Jeff smirked, even though he was alone in experiencing the expression, and explained, "Toby doesn't have sides. He's the same guy you spent all Saturday at Sectionals with, he just happens to be dating Trent now."

"Oh, I didn't mean it like that. It's just that he was really into Clarice and then suddenly he's with Trent and its obvious that he's really happy, even happier than he was with her. It was just surprising is all," she said.

Jeff laughed, "You weren't the only one who was surprised. I came back to the room and found him lying on his bed with a far off expression in his eyes, soaked to the bone and wet uniform lying everywhere."

"Why was he soaked? Was he out in the last snowstorm?" she asked.

Jeff nodded in an involuntary fashion and replied, "Apparently. All I could get out of him was that Trent had asked him out and he had said yes. Then Kurt stopped by twenty minutes later, handed me several packs of vitamins and pointed at my roommate and said, 'Well, medicate him already,' before heading towards the stairs."

Adriana was silent for a moment, then he heard laughter. Finally she broke the laughter to say, "You know, we should go out to dinner and then out on the town, but as a double date. I've heard of this awesome gay night club in Columbus!"

Jeff said, "Adriana, I'm not sure that's going to go over well. Toby just came out two weeks ago to close friends only, and from what I gather it was somewhat of a surprise to him."

"Nonsense, just ask them. We won't go anywhere they don't want to go. It's a double date, not a business trip!"

Jeff sighed and knew when to fight and when to concede, there really was no harm in asking. "Okay I'll ask them both in a few minutes. You make sure this club lets in teenagers."

"Oh, that's the awesome part about it. There's no alcohol, so it's sixteen and up. If you are old enough to drive, you're old enough to get in," she said.

"Who knew Columbus was that progressive? I never thought there'd be any places catering to teen nightlife, let alone one geared for gay and lesbian teens," he said with sincere awe.

Adriana said, "You learn something every day. Today just happened to be an immediately useful tidbit. I'll see you at 5:15, okay?"

Jeff agreed and then stood while keying his roommate's cell phone on the contact card. When he heard 'Hello?' from the other end, he began, "Hey. You'll never guess what tonight holds in store for you and Trent!"

* * *

Michael walked up to Blaine as he got in line for dinner at the dining hall. "Hey, Blaine, do you think we're ready for Regionals?"

The curly haired boy looked back and recognized the speaker, "Hey, Michael. Yes, I do believe we're ready. It's only about a month and a half away, and our sound and choreography are better than ever!"

Michael nodded and smiled, "Well, I wasn't sure what to expect. This is my first year at Dalton, so I've no clue what the actual competition circuit is like." He paused to place a plate on his tray and reach for tongs as he got serious, "I was actually worried when the Council posted a notice that we should enjoy ourselves today instead of practicing."

Blaine laughed out loud, "I think the breaks are well deserved. It helps maintain morale, and everybody's spirits are pretty high right now."

Michael nodded and looked over at Blaine and asked, "So, do you have any plans for tonight? I mean aside from eating dinner of course."

Blaine shrugged and said, "I was going to call Kurt and chat after he got home, but other than that I hadn't thought about anything. I'm not much for TGIF or going out regularly."

"Well, if you weren't busy, I heard that this new Sci Fi movie just came out. 'I Am Number Four'. We could go see that together," Michael offered.

"I'm usually not into those kinds of movies, but given what else is in theaters it sounds fun. Let me just see if Aaron wants to come. He'll be getting off work in about two hours and then...," he said, before stopping as he really peered at Michael's expression.

Michael was fidgeting back and forth, and if it wasn't from his long practice of reading people's entire body language now, after becoming good friends with William, he wouldn't have noticed it. "Michael, were you wanting to go on a date with me?"

Michael looked somewhat embarrassed and nodded, "I know you and Kurt are close, but I thought you were single."

"I am. Kurt and I are really good friends, but we're not dating. After recent events, with me sticking my foot firmly in my mouth with Jeremiah, I'm not sure I should be dating anybody," he said.

The other boy nodded, "I... I have just liked you since the first day. I never thought someone as well put together as you would go out with someone like me, but after seeing Trent go for it, I was given courage to at least ask."

Blaine smiled, pearly white teeth showing, as he explained, "Well, first off. I'm flattered. Secondly, you're a perfectly handsome, intelligent, charming young man. You'll find someone. So don't get down on yourself." They resumed loading food onto plates and Blaine continued, "Besides, a movie is a horrible first date. Never offer that to anyone ever again."

Michael laughed, "Hey, maybe I wanted to sit real close to you in a dark room and work up the courage to grab your hand."

"Seriously. A coffee date or a dinner date, or even just sitting on a bench somewhere are better dates. You can't get to know someone in a movie theater," he said. Blaine made eye contact and smirked before heading off to a table with his tray.

* * *

Adriana was floored. Toby and Trent had chatted about nothing in the backseat the entire way to Breadstix, but had never failed to participate or even draw Jeff or her into the conversation. However, Toby had never been this oblivious to people besides his boyfriend before. It was honestly like competing with the sun for attention. Now that they were seated in the restaurant, she found it odd.

"So, are you two excited about going clubbing?" she asked, trying to bring an equal amount of excitement to both halves of the table.

Trent looked up and said, "Oh yes. I haven't been out to a club before! None of the places around Westerville let in under twenty-ones."

Toby laughed, "I've been to a few. Nathanyal liked to go out all the time before he met Cindy. They aren't that special"

"Ever walk into a gay one before?" Jeff asked in a tone that suggested he was fishing.

"Sorry, Jeff. I've got no experience with that," Toby replied with a smirk on his face.

The waitress walked up to the table with their drinks, and smiled, "Has everybody gotten a chance to look over the menu?" Everyone in their party vocalized their readiness, and the woman turned to Adriana first. "What would you like, Miss?"

Adriana turned the menu over and pointed to the Tour of Sicily before turning to her boyfriend as she explained, "I'm up for the tour if Jeff agrees, I couldn't eat a slab of lasagna plus other food by myself though." The waitress looked at Jeff, who was frantically flipping to the meal in question to verify what all he was getting himself in for. After a moment he nodded and said, "I'm in!"

Next she turned to Toby, the nearest patron on the other side of the table, and asked what he wanted to order. The blonde was caught off guard by suddenly being the center of attention and barely managed to ask for grilled chicken marinara over linguine. Trent wrinkled his nose and asked, "Grilled chicken with red sauce? That's so odd." He ordered a chicken caesar salad and smirked when Toby said he should try a bite. Adriana choked back laughter when Trent made a face and Toby playfully tagged his arm with his fist.

Trent laughed, and when he had gotten it out of his system, he turned to Adriana and asked, "So, have you been to a dance club before?"

"Once," she replied with a smirk to her lips that meant the story was not forthcoming.

* * *

Aaron pushed open the door to the room and lumbered forward to collapse face first onto his bed. Blaine looked up and smiled before asking, "Hard day huh?"

His roommate simply nodded and laid there silently. Blaine laughed and mentioned, "I thought you might have enough energy to go out to the movies."

Aaron's ears perked up as he turned onto his side to face Blaine, "I'd ask mainstream or indie, but the truth is I've got to get ready. I'm picking Emily up in half an hour."

Blaine looked shocked, "Wow, so you've gotten to date #4 already? Let's see it was coffee two weeks ago, then on Valentine's Day you broke your behind. And you went out to lunch last Saturday. What's tonight's venue?"

Aaron laughed and pushed himself up to a sitting position, "She wants to go dancing, and this cafe has a band in occasionally so we're going to take our chances."

"And when do I get to finally meet her?" Blaine asked with only a hint of mirth in his voice.

Aaron turned slightly red and stood up, "Um... how was your day, Blaine?"

Blaine laughed and turned towards him, "Fine, thanks. Michael asked me out, but I'm not ready to date anybody; I think I aced my test this morning; the Warblers are doing fine and you're horrible at changing the subject."

That caused Aaron to rush to his closet and speak over his shoulder, "I really do have to go. And it'll be soon. I'm just self-conscious that she won't like my friends or worse she'll like you way more than she does me."

Blaine stood and walked the steps to plant his hand on Aaron's shoulder as he began to reach for his nice button downs, "You really like her. I get it. I promise I won't do anything to scare her off."

"Blaine," Aaron said as he ripped the hangar off the pole and turned to face his roommate, "You're probably the only guy I know, who girls swoon over, who has no interest. I just don't want an incident, okay?"

"I got it. I'm still rooting for you, and you really want to wear the khaki's with that shirt. Your jeans won't cut it," he said as he stepped away.

Aaron smirked and reached back into the closet. "Thanks," he said as he bolted for the door.

* * *

Kurt peered around the entrance to Blaine's dormitory room and knocked lightly on the open door. Blaine looked up, and smiled, his eyes joining his lips in the expression and melted Kurt's heart one more time. He reminded himself to be in control of his emotions and not the other way round and calmly asked, "Do you mind if I come in?"

"Not at all, Kurt. I thought you were headed back to Lima already," Blaine said, as he rose and approached his friend.

Kurt fidgeted with his hands as he stepped fully inside the threshold and walked two steps towards Blaine. "No, I told my family I'd eat dinner here tonight and then head back. Dad was a little disappointed, because I promised to teach him how to cook an egg-white omelet worthy of being called dinner, but he'll live," he said.

It was like a little war in his head whenever they were alone like this. Blaine would keep him in the friend zone most of the time, then he'd seem to pick up on a signal Kurt was giving him that he was totally into him and say something flirty, or direct. But after months of being on the receiving end of Blaine's charming adoration, he was starting to think that he wowed everybody, and flirted with everybody, and that he didn't see what was staring him in the face. Just like the unspoken invitation to dinner, he was sure Blaine would misinterpret Kurt's desire once again.

"Did you want to go to the dining hall or out?" Blaine asked, still smiling and staring directly into Kurt's eyes while waiting for a response. Damn, but the boy could look at you like you were literally the only thing in all the world.

"I think that's up to you. I have time and funds enough for either," Kurt said. For all of his attempts at giving Trent advice over the last few weeks, he was no closer to getting Blaine to actually respond to him. They'd had the talk about how Blaine didn't know what he was doing, how he was infatuated with Jeremiah and had screwed up his life temporarily, all of it. None of that mattered to Kurt.

"Then grab your coat my friend, because we are off to dinner off-campus. We just have to avoid this one little cafe in order to give my roommate some space," he said.

"Really? He's still hanging in there after she scraped him up off the ice rink?" he asked. Now that the topic wasn't quite so personal, Kurt felt more at home answering like he normally would. He used the segue to armor his emotions as they stepped into the hall.

"Yeah, he's on date four right now. The ice skating adventure was date number two," Blaine replied.

It took them until they reached Blaine's car before the topic turned personal once more, "So today was interesting. Michael wanted to go out to a movie tonight." Blaine waited for Kurt to buckle in as he started the car and turned on his headlights.

"Michael Parsons? Who else was going? Nick? Adam?" Kurt asked.

Blaine responded, "Just the two of us," as he pulled out to the main road. Kurt's heart dropped into his stomach, he held his breath, and his chest tightened.

"I of course told him I was flattered but uninterested in dating anyone, but it was just so odd. It was like out of the blue, and right after he helped me screw things up so royally with Jeremiah," Blaine said.

Kurt managed to pull himself together and reply, "Oh well, he'll find someone new. And Jeremiah wasn't that great of a partner if you ask me. He's what? 20? And he didn't know that dating you wouldn't be illegal once you turned 17, which is what, a month away?"

Blaine smiled, "I think it was just an excuse."

"That's the point I was making. If he was serious, he'd have done the math. If he wasn't into you, he didn't have to bring that up," Kurt said. Now that he got the opportunity to speak his mind on Jeremiah without need to filter himself, he was feeling more confident.

Blaine said, "Anyway, what sounds good? Fish? Steak? Chicken? Italian? Mexican? Chinese?"

"Do I have to pick just one?" Kurt asked with his characteristic smirk. "Joking. Fish sounds good. Omega-3 Fatty acids make up for the fact that I will be indulging myself with a larger portion size," he said.

* * *

The quartet of teens brushed past the inner door of the club and had to stop to adjust to the lack of light and the loud thumping music. Toby unconsciously grabbed for Trent's hand and Adriana caught both of them releasing a breath they probably didn't even know they were holding in. She wrapped an arm around Jeff's elbow, as he had both hands stuck firmly in his pockets, and walked forward tapping each of the other boys on the shoulder with her free hand as she passed them.

"You two shouldn't be so tense! It's just a bar that doesn't serve liquor!" she said loudly, in an attempt to rise above the speakers pounding out  _S &M_ by Rihanna.

"Um... even though I've never been before, I never thought much of going to a gay bar before when I thought I was straight. Now it's sort of like a punch in the gut," Toby confided to the group. He didn't say it too loudly, so Adriana wondered if he was having closet anxiety, despite the fact he was out in public, in a gay friendly establishment, with his boyfriend.

Trent said, "I just imagined somebody was going to judge how I look or that I'm not right for you," while turning towards Toby and squeezing his hand.

Jeff lobbed a barb at them both as he aimed for a seat at a table for four, "You both sure it's not because you're afraid you'll get obsessed with some new, hot, young guy?"

They both screamed out, "Hey!" as they followed their friends to the table.

In a few minutes they were back to talking about nothing much, when Jeff said, "I'm buying the first round. What'll everybody have?"

Adriana responded first, saying, "Sprite!", Toby chimed in with "Pepsi," Trent tried to squeak by with "Bottled Water." Adriana looked at him incredulously, while Toby smiled and said, "Live a little. It is a special occasion."

To which Jeff smirked and said, "Sprite it is then. I'll be right back." He ran for the bar before Trent, who was rising from his seat, could grab his sleeve and keep him back to argue.

He leaned against the bar next to another teen and waited his turn to order. He had just put in his order and was getting out a ten to pay the bartender when the music changed to a remix of  _More_  by Usher. Jeff began to sing along to the song and moved his hips back and forth. Then he felt someone caress his backside and sidle in next to him. The unwanted attention caused him to jump to the left, almost slamming into a girl and her friend.

"Hey, cutie. You here alone?" he heard. Jeff tried to keep it simple and replied, "No, I'm here with friends. Why'd you do that anyway? Nobody likes being groped in a place like this!" he said for emphasis.

The boy who was along his right side leaned forward, his darkish bangs covering his right eye entirely, and said, "You really have no idea what this place is going to be like by end of night. New boys," he said, rolling his eyes, before continuing, "I saw you come in with the group, I meant are you taken?"

The song shifted again, to  _You Look Better When I'm Drunk_  by White Tie Affair as Jeff turned back to the bartender and finally paid. He looked back at the teen as he picked up a tray of four glasses and said, "Yeah, I'm with my girlfriend. I'm taking these drinks back to her and my friends."

Not one to give up so easily, the anonymous male said, "No, you just think you're with her. By the end of tonight, you'll be out of the closet and going home with me!"

"Right...," he said as he slowly spun away from the bar and began the trek back to his table. He had to maneuver through a mine field littered with gyrating bodies and rapidly moving patrons, and all the while he kept his head on his shoulders and was proud he hadn't lost even more composure to the teen's clumsy flirting.

When he returned, Trent was in a mocking mood. "What took you so long to get me a glass of empty calories?" he asked.

"Uh... a guy hit on me," Jeff said as he passed one of the colas to Toby, keeping one for himself, and then passed the pair of clear sodas to Adriana and Trent. Everyone at the table except Adriana looked shocked, and he continued by asking, "Do I seem gay?"

Adriana sipped on her drink and said, "Don't worry about it! You're cute, and we're in a gay hangout. I wouldn't be surprised if all three of you got hit on all night long."

"Yeah, I get that, but do I seem gay to you? Honestly?" he asked again.

His friends exchanged a single glance and then Toby smirked and said, "Not confident in his sexuality." Adriana joined in, "Slim and wearing a stylish hoodie." Finally Trent capped the harassment, "You do bleach your hair..."

Jeff grumbled out, "Okay, okay. I get it. I'll stop worrying about it!" as he sat down to try to enjoy his own beverage.

* * *

Trent and Toby danced together in the midst of a flock of teens, the room was so dark, despite flashes of multi-colored lighting, that neither of them really had a feel for where they were. They could see each other, and the loud music and the dim surroundings made it almost like they were alone.

Toby had feelings of self-consciousness at first, afraid someone would recognize him, but now it was like armor. On this dance floor, he was just a boy. He was just like everybody else, lost in this sea of bodies. The current song,  _Till the World Ends_  by Britney Spears, was winding down to the end verses, and Toby was slightly out of breath.  _Please Don't Go_  by Mike Posner came up next and Trent moved in closer to him, and wrapped an arm around his shoulder and the other hand he placed on Toby's heart as they slowed their movements down.

Toby smiled and wrapped his arms around Trent's torso and placed his hands on his back. He felt his heartbeat quicken as he felt what he thought was Trent's pulse. Then his body began to react further, and his movements became awkward and slowed. Trent made eye contact with him, flashing him a quizzical look as Toby looked down and his cheeks flushed with blood. The song finished soon enough, and Toby separated from Trent slightly and walked quickly off the dance floor as  _Blow_  by Ke$ha started up.

He sat back down at the table, to hear Trent sit down beside him shortly thereafter. "Is something wrong, Teddy?" he asked as he slid his right arm around his boyfriend's shoulders.

"Um... no, I guess something is really right, but it's embarrassing," he replied.

"Embarrassing?" Trent asked, and when Toby placed both hands in his lap and looked away Trent figured out what it was all about. He reached for Toby's face with his left hand and turned him back towards his gaze. Trent spoke while laughing softly, "Hey, this is the best place to have that sort of reaction, and I'd hope I'm the best guy to have it with."

Toby smiled and leaned to his left to bring his lips to touch Trent's, as Trent slid closer. Their eyes closed and they exchanged pure emotion with that one kiss, which lasted easily through the end of the current song. They parted just as the music segued into  _Born this Way_  by Lady Gaga, and Trent laughed with glee, leaped up, grabbed Toby's hand and began running towards the dance floor. Toby laughed out loud, only to have the sound disappear fully into the night as he was dragged back onto the dance floor.

* * *

Jeff had been flattered that guys had continued to hit on him. Well truthfully, Adriana helped him remember to be flattered the second time it happened, but from then on it was a real ego booster. And true to the anonymous boy's words, the club had devolved into a gropefest roughly three hours later. But he was shocked that suddenly everybody was making out, and fondling everybody who would let them.

Toby and Trent didn't get approached by hardly anybody, and it always seemed like someone was asking one of them to dance when they did get interrupted. Jeff chalked that up to them looking like a couple, while in this environment he and Adriana looked like a single guy and a good friend. Things were winding down as the quartet got tired and by the time anybody noticed a clock, it was closing time, well after curfew.

The couples stood together on the sidewalk and slowly walked back to Toby's car. "Okay, so what do we do now? If we head back to Westerville, we'll have to convince someone to let us in or face Reggie's wrath," Jeff said. Adriana put her arm around the crook of his elbow as the friends responded.

Toby smirked, "Oh, no. She came and gave me a talk when I did that for you guys on Valentine's. I can't imagine you'll find someone who will risk it for us."

"That's because she reviews security footage. Who knew?" Trent asked.

Adriana chimed in, "Whatever your headmistress does is nothing compared to ours. I'm probably going to get asked to 'tea' on Monday no matter what happens, so I say let's get a hotel."

Trent laughed and said, "One room for all of us? Won't that be too steamy for your reputation, Adriana? You bunking down with 3 guys?"

She left Jeff's embrace long enough to punch his arm and say, "Worse, it's one healthy young guy who is terribly attracted to me and two chaperones who are easily distracted by each other."

Toby and Jeff laughed out loud and Toby said, "Yup, that's how rumors start."

Jeff said, "So we're agreed then, two rooms. Toby will bunk down with me and Trent will room with Adriana?" he asked with a completely serious face. When the others looked at him incredulously, he simply said, "Gotcha," causing them to fall over laughing.

* * *

February 26, 2011

"Lina! You made it into town," Christina exclaimed as she stood up to embrace her friend.

"Well, I was only visiting Canada. Everybody should have known I'd high tail it back here as soon as I was done," the other girl said.

Christina smirked and pointed out, "Only you would go to Canada for a ski trip during winter."

"Well, Wes headed to Florida to visit family, so I think we're even as far as vacations go," she said, taking off her gloves as she sat down. Lina ran her fingers through her long brown hair to pull it from inside her jacket collar and looked back at Christina.

"Something's different," she said, "And don't you dare spoil the surprise and try to tell me what... oh my god, that bracelet is new. David gave you that, didn't he?"

Christina nodded and smiled widely, "It's my anniversary gift. I didn't even want anything, the date was so nice, so memorable... but now that I have it, I can't help but wear it everywhere."

"Well, he did a good job getting a bracelet that matches your skin tone so well and isn't too simple or too fancy," she said.

Christina smiled and then changed the subject, "Lina, what's it like being with someone for so long? I know you and Wes met in elementary school and were friends for a while. You've been going out for the last three years. It's like you two are the goal David and I strive to reach."

"Well, we didn't do anything together when we first met, and honestly we had friends in common but weren't friends to each other until 9th grade. We both joined choir and that was the end of single life for both of us," she said with a smile on her lips and a small chortle as she reminisced about it.

"Still, was it like a fairytale? Did you turn to your girlfriends and snicker about marrying Wes some day when you were a kid?"

Lina shrugged and said, "I was a tomboy. I didn't snicker about anybody in public."

Christina gasped, "No way? So did you hang out with the boys instead? You make it sound like you and Wes didn't socialize at all back then."

"Well, we saw each other, but no, I had a mixed gender group of pals. Wes just wasn't in it," she said.

"Much to my chagrin. I missed out on all the embarrassing stories and now its too late to inquire," a familiar voice said from behind both of them. Lina leaped up and turned around, to see her boyfriend holding a tray with three coffee mugs balanced on it.

"Careful there, you almost got tackle hugged with a side of scorching beverages," she said as she took the tray from him and set it on the table. She turned back around and hugged him tenderly before making room for him at the table. "I didn't know you'd be visiting Columbus this morning," she said.

"Surprise," was all he said as he reached for the chair to seat himself.

"Angelina, aren't you going to kiss him?" Christina asked in a conspiratorial tone.

"Why show off in public? I'll just tear his clothes off later to make up for the chaste display here," she quipped. Christina laughed and Wes joined in as the three began to catch up on other aspects of their lives.

* * *

Toby woke up, and looked over to Trent's bed. The hotel had put them in a room with two full beds, and they had been too tired to think of asking the staffer to change it to a king. Sunlight was peeking around the edge of the blackout curtains, lancing the darkness. With a glance at the clock he saw that it was nearly 10 a.m. Using the bright sprig of daylight to define the room, Toby searched Trent's features and saw that he was languidly lying there, not asleep but not trying to move.

Toby rolled over to the nightstand, grabbed his glasses, and slid them on. Then he climbed out of bed and walked the three feet to the other bed. He carefully pulled up the bedclothes to slide in next to Trent, who opened his eyes, slid over to make room and said, "Why good morning!"

"Good morning, baby. Did you sleep well?" Toby asked as he cuddled up to him. It was then that he noticed Trent wasn't wearing anything but his boxers.

Trent nodded and said, "I'd have had better dreams in a king-size next to you, but probably not as much sleep." He chuckled at that.

"You know, I almost feel guilty. We can never sleep in the same dormitory room on campus, and yet we didn't even get up to anything naughty last night," Toby said.

"That we can fix immediately," Trent said, moving his left hand under the covers and along Toby's chest towards his waist.

Toby giggled and said, "We can't go that far here!"

"You didn't seem to mind my touch the last time we had alone time," Trent said with a smirk. "Tell me you don't want to."

Toby blushed and threw back the covers, "Oh I want to. I guess we'll just have to put up with embarrassing winks and elbows because we acted as pervy as people will assume once we get back to Dalton."

Trent began to help Toby lift his t-shirt off when there was a beep at the door and a woman in her forties walked inside. The pair froze, kneeling on the bed, Toby with his arms pointed to the ceiling and Trent with his hands nearly up to his boyfriend's armpits, obviously maneuvering the cloth. She came out of the tiny corridor to the main part of the room and the boys stared at her, as she stared at them. Then she quickly turned around, and left the room in a hurry. They heard the door slam, and Trent finished pulling Toby's shirt over his head.

Toby turned a mortified look to Trent, who just smiled and said with a bit of sass, "I guess she'll never walk in unannounced again."

"Trent, that's mean. And aren't you ashamed? We could have been doing anything when she stumbled in here," he said. It was obvious his desire had been completely overwritten with the awkward feeling of getting caught with his pants down, metaphorically. He concluded with, "I don't even feel like making out now."

Trent pulled him closer and said, "Oh, don't be like that." He pulled his boyfriend back down to a horizontal position and kissed him on the lips with a quick peck.

"No, my boyfriend is a meanie," he said with a mock tone of reproach in his voice.

Trent just shrugged his head to the left slightly and said, "You know me so well, and you love me anyway."

The blonde cracked a smile and responded, "True."

"Plus, you'll forget all about that in a few minutes anyway!" he said as he began to attack Toby with a passionate kiss and roaming hands. Muffled protests that turned to slight moans were his only response.


	17. Equilibrium at Last

**Disclaimer** : Fox owns the rights to Glee, I don't own anything but want and desire.

* * *

February 28, 2011

On Monday morning, Nick strode into literature class with a spring in his step and nodded to two of the boys he knew well, Bart and Toby, who were having their own conversation about game boy games from what he could make out. He headed to William's desk, and on the way thought about giving Toby a good natured ribbing about being off campus over the weekend, but he remembered both his promise to Trent and that he hadn't spoken to William in a while.

"Morning, William. Did you have a good weekend?" he asked.

"Ah, Nick. Yes. This weekend was most productive. I think I finished recording one of my old pieces and am ready to share it," he said, while looking in Nick's direction. He sighed and continued, "Which is good because everybody is suddenly badgering me to hear my work."

"It can't be everyone, I haven't heard much about this," Nick said.

"Carey Johnson, Blaine, my roommate Tim. That's enough for me to use the word everyone," he said.

Nick nodded and then vocalized, "Well that is a pretty large crowd, and two Warblers... well that's bound to get larger any week now. So, are you really going to let someone listen to your songs? I'd like the opportunity if you're allowing everybody else..."

William smirked and said, "We'll see. Right now though, I think you had better turn around and look prepared."

Nick's expression changed from one of supplication to confusion, but quickly turned to alarm as he finally heard the clack clack of Mrs. Partridge's shoes in the hallway. A hurried look showed him to be the only person not seated in his chair, and he moved swiftly to fix that. She rounded the corner and swung into the class as his behind contacted the seat.

"Good morning, class. Your last papers were adequate, but lacking in the length of discourse. That means they were a little short and rushed to the finish line," she said while placing a stack of papers and notes on her desk. She smoothed her dress jacket down and paused a moment before again addressing the boys. "I find it sad that my third year boys have already gotten bored with the assignments I came up with, but sometimes you need a change of pace. So your next assignment will be to write a brief scene for a play based on a portion of your choice of a list of stories," she said. Half the class gasped in happy astonishment, as they usually didn't get to do anything creative in Lit. class.

"It will be a group project, and I expect you to write original dialogue that gets across the scene you are adapting. Show me that you get the character's motivations," she finished. A full third of the boys groaned when they heard that it would be a group project, and she smiled briefly before making partner assignments.

"Mr. Arlington, you are paired up with Mr. Bartholomew. Mr. Armstrong, you are paired up with Mr. Lyle." Toby looked over at Marcus Lyle, one of the old money group here at Dalton and smiled. Marcus nodded back, without a lot of warmth. Mrs. Partridge continued to read off names as she went through the entire class rolls.

* * *

It was just after third period when Kurt had time to catch up to Trent before class began. Kurt sidled up to him and coyly leaned in close to ask, "So, how'd things go?"

Trent gave Kurt a sidelong glance and asked, "Things?"

Kurt rolled his eyes and sighed with exasperation, "Honestly, it's hard enough to imagine people doing 'that', I just wanted to know if things were good between you two is all. I care."

Trent blushed slightly and playfully countered, "You're curious."

Kurt smirked and said, "I can be curious and care at the same time."

Trent laughed and said, "We're good."

Kurt said, "So you've taken things to the next level..."

Trent looked embarrassed, "It's not that much news is it?"

"Oh, it's news alright. A romance happening right inside Dalton? We're a small community. The Warblers even smaller still," Kurt said, as they made the turn to the wing where they shared Biology class.

Trent said, "Nobody outside the Warblers are even supposed to know we're dating, and besides that's a bit unfair. Does anyone pry into David or Wes' relationships with their girlfriends." He had a serious look on his face, as if being under observation suddenly became obvious to him and he didn't like the connotations.

Kurt recognized the look and said, "Trent, you've been nothing if not discreet in public, it's just that you and Toby were in a hotel over the weekend. That was so blatantly obvious that people are chattering. Plus, nobody else around here is dating a celebrity so the secret isn't so secret."

Trent sighed and said, "I keep forgetting that Toby is famous."

Kurt looked at him with shock and then playfully nudged him in the side with his elbow, "Come on!"

Trent shied away from Kurt's assault, fearing more forthcoming for what he was about to say, "No, seriously I did. To me he's just my teddy bear and that's all I see now."

Kurt tried to be casual, but his obvious discomfort at the topic came out of every pore of his being, "So, you remembered to go buy protection first, right? I mean it's probably okay if you didn't since you guys probably haven't slept around with a bunch of different..."

Trent cut him off, to save Kurt as well as himself from that line of reasoning, "Just relax, Kurt. You can get anything you'd need in the Infirmary here. Dalton is a realistic school." Kurt visibly relaxed and then stepped into the open doorway of their last class for the day. Trent blushed slightly as he leaned forward and practically whispered, "Not that we did anything that'd require those yet." Kurt turned bright red imagining what they could have gotten up to, and stood in the doorway almost dumbfounded. Trent had to push him forward with a gentle hand on the back as the other boys, already seated and those waiting to walk in suddenly turned every eye onto the pair.

"God, Kurt, your imagination is as unruly as mine. Just sit down, already!"

Kurt shook his head and looked toward his usual seat. He then turned to Trent and fixing him with a smirking grin said, "We're not done talking about this." This caused Trent to laugh, and the other boys to wonder what the conversation had been about as Mrs. Livengood, the instructor, came in and called them to attention.

* * *

March 2, 2011

Thad turned to David and asked, "Is this really something you're thinking we should do at Regionals? I mean, I like P!nk as much as the next guy, but 'Bad Influence' is not going to win us any points with stuffy old judges."

"Wes and I were thinking of a medley of P!nk songs, and this one is catchy, even if its not on-message," David answered. He looked around the room, "Everybody ready?" When everyone else nodded their assent, he turned to Adam, "After you."

Adam drummed out the percussion intro and the Warblers en masse began singing, "La Dada Dada, Ladadada Dada. Lada Dada, Dada, Lada Dada."

Blaine began, "Alright Sir, Sure I'll Have Another One It's Early! Three Olives, Shake It Up, I Like it Dirty" with Nick providing a descant, "Dirty" a breath behind him.

He stepped in close to Trent and jerked a thumb at him while singing, "Tequila for My Friend It Makes Her Flirty (Flirty), Trust Me!"

Blaine then pantomimed by throwing sheet music left and right, "I'm the Instigator of Underwear, Showing Up Here and There Uh Oh (Oh No), I'm Always On a Mission From the Get-Go (Get-Go)."

"So What If It's Only One O'clock in the Afternoon," he sang while checking his watch, "It's Never Too Soon to Send Out All the Invitations to the Last Night of" with the Warblers screamed out "Your Life!" and rushed out the doors into the hallway.

"Lordy, Lordy, Lordy! I Can't Help It, I Like to Party, It's Genetic! It's Electrifying!"

"Wind Me Up and Watch Me Go, Where She Stops, Nobody Knows."

"A Good Excuse to Be a Bad Influence on You."

The Warblers singing in the background repeated "And You, And You, And You...," while pointing at each other.

Blaine adopted a serious look as he approached Kurt, and sang "Alright Ma'am (Ma'am). Calm Down I Know Your Son Said He Was In My House." Half the chorusing Warblers sang the descant with Nick "My House".

Putting his arm around Kurt's shoulders he walked a few steps, "He Was the Captain of the Football Team But I Turned Him Out. He wasn't the First and He Won't Be the Last to Tone It Down."

"This Happens All the Time," Now Blaine ran through the other Warblers and leaped onto the bench, "I'm a Story to Tell the Alibi. They Want to Go Home I Ask Them Why? (Why?), It's Daylight (Not Night)."

"They Might Need a Break From All the Real Life (Get a Life!)"

"It Gets to Be Too Much Sometimes"

"It's Never Too Late to Send Out All the Invitations to the Last Night Of. (Your Life!)"

Blaine descended to the floor with a hop and the Warblers raucously bounced up and down during the chorus, "Lordy, Lordy, Lordy! I Can't Help It, I Like to Party, It's Genetic! It's Electrifying!"

"Wind Me Up and Watch Me Go, Where She Stops, Nobody Knows."

"A Good Excuse to Be a Bad Influence on You."

"And You, And You, And You, And You, And You..."

Blaine started up again singing in harmony with Nick and David, "I'm Off to See the Doctor, I Hope She has a Cure, I Hope She makes Me Better." His serious face was back as he wandered back and forth.

At "What Does That Even Mean? (We Don't Know!)" Blaine threw his hands wide in a stage shrug, and the Warblers threw their fists up.

By now a generous crowd of boys had appeared and the Warblers continued their antics, moving round each other in circles and bouncing on their toes to the beat.

"Lordy, Lordy, Lordy! I Can't Help It, I Like to Party, It's Genetic! It's Electrifying!"

"Wind Me Up and Watch Me Go, Where She Stops, Nobody Knows."

"A Good Excuse to Be a Bad Influence on You."

"Lordy, Lordy, Lordy! I Can't Help It, I Like to Party, It's Genetic! It's Electrifying!"

"Wind Me Up and Watch Me Go, Where She Stops, Nobody Knows."

"A Good Excuse to Be a Bad Influence on You."

"Lordy, Lordy, Lordy! I Can't Help It, I Like to Party, It's Genetic! It's Electrifying!"

"Wind Me Up and Watch Me Go, Where She Stops, Nobody Knows."

"A Good Excuse to Be a Bad Influence on You."

Blaine and Nick locked arms as they sang "I'm a Good Excuse (Good Excuse), To Be a Bad Influence on You and You and You," over the chorusing Warblers singing "And You" through the end of the song.

The students clapped loudly as the Warblers celebrated another successful practice, and began to disperse. Carey brushed up against Blaine and Adam and said, "Hey, I was thinking about getting some of the fellows together to ask William Arlington to put on a concert. Are you two in?"

Adam looked confused while Blaine was just off-balance. "You mean the blind third year? He sings?"

Blaine shook his head, "Not as such, he composes and plays. I've been wanting to hear what he's come up with for months now."

Carey smirked, "He's good. He kind of brushed off my praise and retreated into his shell, but I want to hear the rest of his catalog."

"You've heard his work?" Blaine asked, flabbergasted.

Carey nodded, "Yeah, he was practicing in the main auditorium on Valentine's Day."

"Well, I'll be..." Blaine said, trailing off after a second and getting a far off look on his face.

Adam looked at Blaine, "Earth to Blaine," snapping his fingers near his ears. "If he's any good, I'd be glad to help," he concluded.

Blaine shook his head and raised his hands to garner both boy's total attention, "Wait, I think it'd go over better if just one of us asked him. I think he's self-conscious about his work, and would respond badly to a large group."

Carey suggested, "So, will you take care of things?"

"Yeah, I'll approach him about it sometime soon," he replied.

* * *

March 4, 2011

Two days later, Blaine saw William and Aaron Neville walking towards the dining hall for dinner, and ran to catch up to them. He called out "William!", once he was within earshot and the elder boy stopped. When Blaine caught up, he saw that William had a smile on his face.

"Blaine, did you want to join me? I hear they broke out the gourmet cookbook for tonight."

"Will, this is Dalton, they don't ever cook beneath high standards."

William responded, "Not so. Just because we don't get to complain about the food being bad doesn't mean it's always special. I heard it's grilled, stuffed chicken breasts on one station, and steak tips on another."

Blaine raised an eye brow and asked with a smirk on his breath, "So why are we standing here in the hall then?"

After navigating the various lines, the pair plus one sat down at a table near the wall. "So, I had to ask you something and I might as well get it out of the way first," Blaine said.

William quirked an eye brow while reaching for his glass of milk, "Go ahead," he said.

"Have you given any thought to performing some of your songs in public? I know I want to hear your hard work, and according to a friend of mine you're talented," he said.

William shook his head, and said, "I don't know, Blaine. I'm kind of embarrassed. Carey wasn't supposed to hear me playing."

"But he did, and now the cat's out of the bag. We're just asking you to share with everyone. No pressure if you can't bring yourself to do it, but I think the other students would be interested as well," Blaine said.

William smiled weakly and said, "I know my roommate is. Okay," he said, and Blaine's eyes perked up and a smile lit his face, "I'll think about it." After hearing the second part of the statement, Blaine's face became a little crestfallen, but he quickly fell back into his role of chipper Dalton student.

Blaine said, "On a completely unrelated note... Have you met anyone nice lately?"

William smirked and asked, "You mean like a new friend, or a special one?"

"Well a special one of course. I'm curious, and it's obvious you haven't given up on romance yet," he cajoled.

William quietly sat for a moment, "Well, I did meet some young ladies recently, particularly over Christmas break, but I can't say they are very compatible with me, although they are all nice girls."

"Making a connection is sometimes hard, but you shouldn't push them away based on some nearly unobtainable ideal, Will. You won't know how compatible you are until you date some of them," Blaine responded in a caring but insistent voice.

"Blaine, unless you have suddenly realized you are a transgender woman in a man's body, the mold is pretty hard to fit. Worse for me, you fit my ideal so well, and you're not exactly easy to follow," William said point blank.

Blaine sputtered out a response, "Surely you haven't been comparing all those girls to me?"

"Why not? I have the rest of my life to meet a sensitive, confident, woman with an amazing voice and musical talent who will accept me for who I am. I'm not in a hurry to lead anybody else on," he said, growing quiet before finishing his thoughts, "or worse yet get into a relationship that isn't going to last just because I can."

Blaine didn't have a response to that, and kept quiet. William broke the silence and said, "Didn't you confide in me that your infatuation with Jeremiah was probably a rebound tactic your subconscious pushed on you, and that you weren't ready to move on yet? We didn't go on more than a handful of dates, and we were incompatible."

"Only in one way, William," Blaine responded, and after a short pause continued, "Still, you're right. I may be close to ready to think about dating someone seriously, but I was letting myself get distracted by Jeremiah. I think I fooled myself by finding someone very unlike you, and latching onto him," he said.

The pair continued dinner in silence for a few minutes more before William asked a smirk playing across his lips, "So, I heard you're a bad influence now."

"That was a spectacular practice session," Blaine responded with a smile. "So any plans for the weekend?" he asked.

* * *

"I'm glad you could make it. It's only an eighth of our grade," Marcus, a tallish, dark haired boy quipped as Toby strode into the lounge.

Toby felt slightly uncomfortable, but he tried to restore an air of camaraderie by smiling brightly and saying, "Of course I'm here. You said Friday night was the only time you had free, so I'm here." He set his book bag down and reached for the back of a chair.

Marcus didn't look to be reassured, and gave Toby a look of disdain as he pulled up. "Well, you're late. I didn't believe you'd take this seriously, but you could have shown a bit more initiative."

Toby began to unpack his things, ears growing red as he weathered this verbal assault from a boy he hardly knew, "I just came from dinner, and it was a matter of five minutes or so. Can we please just get this started?"

"Why? I've pushed aside my evening plans for this? Do you have something more important to do than homework?" Marcus spat out.

Toby eyed Marcus warily, "Why are you making this hard? You've been going at me since I got here. We could have been working by now."

Marcus seemed to deflate, but he didn't become more at ease. "You're right," he said. It took a minute for him to reach into his bag and pull out a dog-eared novel, "I was thinking that we should adapt the wedding scene in Pride and Prejudice."

Toby's expression blanked, "Um... I haven't finished reading that book but I looked up every book on the list. I didn't think Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth got married on the page."

Marcus sniffed, "It's an adaptation, not a slavish re-creation. We'll fill in the gaps."

Toby sighed, "Okay."

* * *

March 7, 2011

William made his way back to his room after class on a cold Monday. He could hear Tim moving about inside, and the unexpected sound of a guitar being strummed. He opened the door and led Aaron Neville inside. He removed his companion's harness and gave him a quick but vigorous petting. Tim greeted him, but continued to play.

"Hey, William. Did classes go well today?" he asked.

William's face betrayed his foul mood and he said, "Not really great, not really bad, but I think I'm going to end up killing your friend. Jim and I need to work on this theatrical adaptation of a book and his ideas are completely abstract or literal. He can't write dialogue to save his life."

Tim chuckled, ceased playing and said, "So, you're saying he's great with scene direction but horrible with words people speak. Sounds like Jim. He's got a great imagination, but doesn't speak a lot."

William sighed, "And it's not like he isn't trying to pull his weight, so I guess I'm just upset that we might get a bad grade because we can't do any better."

"Well, is Mrs. Partridge going to make you perform them in front of the class?" Tim asked.

With a shake of his head he responded, "No, they get graded and then go into her vault of student work. That's it."

Tim laughed and said, "Well, it sounds like your problem is more or less solved then. You write the dialogue, and you let Jim write the stage direction and format everything. You have to work together, not write every other line."

William's face was first showing confusion and then honest relief. "I hadn't thought about that. Every other group project I've worked on had me doing as much or more work in every stage as everybody else. If I hadn't, the project would have suffered and so would my grade."

"Never thought about playing to your strengths? I'm surprised. You're one of the most insightful guys here. Although, maybe your powers of observation don't work when the subject is yourself," Tim replied with a sarcastic turn to his voice.

William laughed at that, and he got up to grab the dog food and take care of Aaron Neville before he forgot in his quest to make headway on his homework. He opened up his closet and reached up for where he left the bag of food, and Tim resumed playing.

"I didn't know you had a guitar, or knew how to play. You're pretty good," he said, as a way of moving to a new topic.

"The guitar is new, a birthday gift, but I've owned a beat up acoustic for years. I left it at home just like always, but this one was shipped here, so I'm happily taking my time with it," Tim said, and William could hear the smile in his voice.

"Well, apparently everybody is itching to hear me play or something," William said, testing the waters on a conversation he wasn't sure he wanted to have. He fumbled along the edge of the closet shelf looking for the food bowl.

His roommate immediately stopped playing and set down the guitar, wooden back slapping into the bottom of the case with a dull thud. "Are you going to give a concert? I've been wanting to hear your work for months, almost since we met," he said.

William placed the bowl on the floor, and reopened the bag to begin a slow pour, timing it in his head so as not to spill Aaron Neville's food everywhere. "Blaine asked me to, and Carey said it'd be a good idea. I just don't know, I'm so sensitive about my work and everybody else has so much talent," William answered, pausing to take in a large breath before finishing his thought, "I don't think I could take being made fun of, not about that."

Tim stood up and walked towards William. The action was abrupt and it caused him to drop the bag. He silently cursed as he heard food skittering across the floor and he grabbed the bag and stood up. Tim said, "Don't worry about that, I'll help you clean up. Just don't think like that, nobody would make fun of you. This is Dalton, not some elementary school where the cool kids always make fun of the geeks, even if they are impressed."

As William heard Aaron Neville begin nosing around the floor and cleaning up the stray food himself, he looked in Tim's direction. "Okay, I get it. I'll do it," he said. Tim slapped him on the shoulder and squeezed slightly in a sign of encouragement. William interrupted with a casual, "Tim?"

Tim replied, "Yeah?"

"Can you make sure there isn't too much food in the bowl? Aaron Neville's already begun cleaning up the general mess on the floor, and I can't really tell how wide the spill is," he said. Tim chuckled and said, "Just go sit down. I'll take care of it. And even if I'm wrong, he won't get too fat."

"Tim!"

"What?" Tim responded with a mocking tone to his voice.

* * *

Toby knocked on Jim's door, and waited for the door to open all the way. Jim was inside and beckoned Toby to step inside.

"I came to see if you wanted to head to the dining hall with me?" Toby asked as he heard the door click behind him.

Jim nodded and said, "Sure, but first I wanted to ask you something."

Toby nodded and said, "Ask away." Jim beckoned towards his bed and he himself sat back at the desk he had been studying at. Toby crossed the room and sat down, waiting for Jim to get to the question.

"Um... this is kind of personal, so I'll understand if you don't want to answer, but I'm curious and I figure if I can't ask you, I can't ask anyone," he said. Toby rolled his eyes and said, "Spit it out, Jim. You know I'll politely refuse to answer if it's too personal, but you can always ask me anything."

Jim made eye contact with the shorter blonde and said, "Well, I was wondering what it's like having sex with a guy?"

Toby blinked and stared blankly at Jim with his mouth hanging open.

Jim stood up and turned away, "I knew it was too personal. Let's just forget I ever asked, okay?"

"Jim, we haven't gone that far yet," Toby said. Jim was floored that he had gotten a response, and turned back towards his friend and said, "Oh."

Toby smiled and blushed slightly as he looked at the floor and continued, his cheeks getting redder as he spoke, "Yeah, besides I can't compare it to anything for you."

Jim gave Toby a confused look and asked, "What do you mean?"

"I've only ever dated two girls, and only one of whom I went as far as hand-holding, brief kisses and petting with," he confided in Jim. He knew that in guy terms that being this candid was reputation suicide with anyone but a friend closer than a brother, but Toby didn't feel it was outside the bounds.

"I've never made out with a girl like we do..." Toby continued, only to trail off and blush.

Jim began imagining a scenario beyond what he had just heard and he quickly held up his hands, "Ouch. T.M.I."

"Hey, you did ask," Toby said, as he rose. His face was still flushed, but he looked like he was back under control. He headed towards the door, "Besides, it's not like I started spilling my guts with a play by play!"

Jim shrugged and smiled, "Okay, okay. Can we go to dinner now?"

Toby nodded, and reached for the door.

"You're not gonna tell Trent I asked about this are you?" Jim asked.

In response, Toby just smirked at him and opened the door.

"Ah, come on!" Jim exclaimed as he ran to lock up and follow Toby down the hall.

* * *

It was Tuesday morning, and in-between first and second period, Aaron saw Kurt walking to class. "Kurt!" he exclaimed, waving to get the slimmer boy's attention.

Kurt came to a stop and looked around when he heard his name. It didn't take him long to spot Aaron, and he nodded to him as the other boy finally caught up. "What's up? Aaron wasn't it?"

The tall black haired boy nodded and said, "Yeah. I was hoping to bump into you. I wanted to ask a favor."

Kurt smirked and said, "A dozen roses and tickets to a play or musical often do for most girls. Unless you were wanting help with picking out an outfit for your next date."

Aaron gave him a flustered look and said, "Um... no I've got a tough research paper, and was hoping you could help out again?"

Kurt blinked, "Oh. I don't see why not as long as it's not on a day that the Warblers' have practice, otherwise you'd have to drive out to Lima to get your help." Kurt began walking slowly in the direction of his next class. Aaron began walking with him.

Aaron smiled, "No, I can meet whenever you can."

Kurt rolled his eyes quickly and then looked over at Aaron as they continued in the thick press of bodies, "So why ask me?"

"You were very helpful last time, and you're good at tutoring," he said.

"I don't think I'm that good. I'm impatient, and bitchy and have a high opinion of myself. I'd think those would be terrible traits," he said.

Aaron said, "You forgot painfully honest, but I was thinking of the fact that you actually don't make fun of me when I don't know something or have mixed two events up."

Kurt smiled and nodded, "True, true. But everybody needs help sometimes. Nobody is perfect. So back to my original thought, you're still seeing this girl and you don't want advice on what to wear or what she might like as a present. Are things going that well between you?"

Aaron clammed up and looked concerned, "If I say yes I will sound arrogant, and if I say no I'll sound like I'm not confident in my relationship."

"No catch-22s implied. I was just curious. Blaine said you won't even let him meet her," Kurt said with a light laugh.

Aaron smiled and asked, "I'll answer any question you ask during study time if you'll tell me all about you and Blaine."

Kurt stopped again and looked Aaron in the eye, perhaps trying to hide a hint of desperation as he swallowed before speaking, "Blaine and I are just good friends."

"You're sure about that?" Aaron asked.

"Well..." Kurt began, and Aaron cut him off, "You don't have to explain to me, Kurt. So, is later today too early?"

Kurt breathed more easily and said, "I'll meet you at 3:15. You can show me what you have to do, and then it's me off home. We'll set up our next session then."

* * *

March 10, 2011

"Blaine, I've made up my mind, but I have a few conditions," William said, as he strolled up to Blaine's door, knocked on empty air and addressed the room. He heard two bodies shift inside and thought that his odds of it being Blaine and his roommate were at least as good as it being one of the boys who lived here and one of their friends.

"So what are the conditions?" he heard, and it was Blaine who responded.

"The first condition is that admittance is free, but everybody who attends is made to understand it is a recital of sorts and not a professional or semi-professional performance. I don't want any hecklers, and I can't think of another way to prevent that," William said.

He heard one of the bodies move closer, "That's easy enough."

William gulped slightly and said, "My second condition is you. I know you can play piano, and I can render one of my more traditional pieces into sheet music using my computer. I want you to perform as well."

Blaine was silent, and it took a few more seconds for him to respond, "I'd be honored, William. Are you sure? I'm nowhere near as good a pianist as I am a singer."

"I'm sure. At least one of the songs has words, and I'm nowhere as good a composer as you are a singer, so you'll probably distract the audience," William said. The other person who had been silent up until now, guffawed, and William recognized Aaron, Blaine's roommate. William joined in, and heard Blaine a moment later.

* * *

Trent walked into Jeff and Toby's room and closed the door behind himself. He got Toby's attention from where he was sitting on his bed with his computer. He didn't see exactly what Jeff was doing, but he had his computer open at his desk as Trent walked past. Trent flashed a smile at his boyfriend, as he continued to cross the room. Toby returned his gaze with obvious affection, put his laptop away and sat up with his legs hanging over the edge of the bed. Toby then calmly asked, "Jeff, don't you have something to do until after dinner?"

Jeff looked over and gave his roommate a puzzled look, but he smiled when he saw Toby's cheeks turn a decidedly red shade as Trent walked over to embrace the back of his head and right shoulder. Jeff rose and began gathering his books and laptop up into his backpack. "Yeah, I definitely need to go study in the lounge until dinner time," he said. As he was closing the door he winked and said, "Have fun, guys." Jeff closed the door behind him, and as he was about to step away, he stopped, reached into his pocket for his key and locked the door.

It only took Jeff about two minutes to walk to the lounge, and finding it empty on a Thursday afternoon, he plopped himself down on a couch. Within minutes he was again surfing the web, and trying not to think about what his roommate was getting up to.

He opened up Twitter and on a whim he clicked on TStrong in his following section. The last thing Toby had posted was a response to someone else, once he clicked on it the conversation finally made some sense. It read:

 **TStrong: @LizzyBear Yeah, I was sort of secretly dating this nice girl, but I'm single again.**

 **LizzyBear: @TStrong You can always find me in Montana. I'd treat you right if you treat me right. So did you dump her or did she not know what she had?**

 **TStrong: @LizzyBear I'm not gonna talk about something like that in public. It's not fair.**

 **LizzyBear: @TStrong Is it true you're dating someone else now? Who? Why do I never get a shot with an adorable hunk like you?**

Jeff expanded it to a search on the name TStrong and there were two pages more of tweets. Most of them were about how Toby was in Ohio, and that he was spotted wearing a school uniform months ago. Finally Jeff's eyes rolled over the following tweets.

 **RepOman: @LizzyBear I heard @TStrong is dating someone at the school he disappeared to. #SecretDating**

 **LizzyBear: @RepOman The @Celeblog said @TStrong is going to an all boy's school. That can't be right!**

 **LittleBirdy: @LizzyBear Too bad for you. It's true. @TStrong is not dating a girl! #Scandal**

 **LizzyBear: @LittleBirdy You need to stop slandering people. You don't have proof that @TStrong is dating a boy!**

 **LittleBirdy: @LizzyBear If he wasn't otherwise lovestruck I'm sure @TStrong would have chimed in by now and denied it.**

 **LizzyBear: @TStrong Is it true? Are you gay? Why won't you say something? #HeartBroken**

 **FabGuy424: @TStrong is into guys? Where are you at babe? I'll date you!**

It was like a train wreck and he couldn't look away until he had read every tweet. More than a page of tweets within the last two weeks about Toby dating a guy, and with him remaining silent, the status of the rumor about his gay relationship was trending higher and higher each day. Jeff stood up and was about to head out of the lounge to find them immediately and clue them in. He paused for a moment though and thought about how he'd feel about anything other than an interruption with a true family emergency if he were being intimate with Adriana. At that Jeff resolved to have a talk with Toby and Trent tonight, at dinner. He sat back down, and nervously tried to occupy his time while he waited.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First thing, I know this chapter title is ironic. I've slowed my pace, because I'm working on other projects while writing this story, and I'm out of buffer too. Yay. I have a tumblr account (http://intentionallytruthful.tumblr.com/). I sometimes post blog entries there with brief updates, so if you get tired of waiting you can always check and see if I'm stuck on something else or if I'm making headway. I've introduced another classmate, and I don't have a celebrity picked out to play him on the small screen, so just imagine Marcus Lyle yourself and if you come up with a good suggestion I'll make it official. Please review, send comments, etc.


	18. Free Fall

**Disclaimer** : Just me again. I don't own the world, or all of the characters.

* * *

March 10, 2011

Jeff joined his roommate, Toby, and his boyfriend at their dinner table. When he saw them sitting there paying more attention to each other than their plates of food, it made him feel bad to have to do this. Jeff gave them both a pensive look and didn't immediately speak. Trent was the first to speak, although both he and Toby flashed their friend concerned looks. "You look like you just failed an audition! What's wrong?" he asked.

Their innocent inquiry was about to lead to something he wasn't sure they were prepared for, so Jeff swallowed once and looked Toby in the eyes, "When was the last time you looked on your Twitter feed, or googled yourself?"

Trent looked over at Toby and the blonde's face was one of confusion, "Um... almost a month ago. Why?"

"Because rumors are starting to fly, and you not saying anything is turning into even more rumor fodder," Jeff replied. He then handed Toby his cell phone with the Twitter app already running a search on @TStrong. Toby gingerly accepted the phone, and began to scan through the entries. When he had scrolled down a few pages he almost dropped the phone. His mouth dropped open instead.

"My god, everybody knows...," he said. Trent grabbed the phone hurriedly from Toby's hands and scanned it himself.

Jeff sat back and sighed, "So what are you going to do?"

Trent looked up and said, "Most people in Toby's position usually say that the rumors are untrue and if they ever come out, they wait until much later in their careers to do so."

Toby was withdrawn, his face a blank mask, and his eyes were unfocused. "I can't lie. I may not say anything to confirm this right now, but I refuse to lie to my fans or my friends," he said. With that he stood up, picked up his tray with half of his dinner still on it, and headed to the busing station.

Trent smiled at Jeff and said, "Thanks for letting him know as soon as you could, Jeff." He then stood up as well.

Jeff nodded and smiled at Trent, showing a relief he didn't actually feel. "Toby's one of my best friends. This is the least I could do," he said as Trent turned to walk after Toby.

* * *

Trent knocked on Toby's door the next day as soon as class let out. It took a few minutes, but the door opened, and the shorter boy offered him a weak smile before standing aside to let him in. It wasn't lost on Trent that Toby closed and locked the door immediately after he had passed him by.

"Are you still freaking out about twitter?" Trent asked as he walked to Toby's bed, and sat down. He chuckled to himself as he ran his hand over the comforter, newly washed and dried as of last night.

"Well, yeah. Aren't you?" his boyfriend asked him. Trent patted the bed's surface next to him, and beckoned Toby closer with a reverse nod.

Trent smiled at him as he sat down, "It doesn't really affect me yet. No fangirls have threatened me or thrown anything at me for 'making you like boys'. That's primarily because you haven't even mentioned you're dating me to anybody but friends. Our parents don't even know yet."

Toby's eyes got big as he looked to his left to meet Trent's gaze, "Oh yeah. That's going to be fun. 'Hi, mom. Hi, dad. I really, really like boys now.' Can't wait," he finished sarcastically.

"Hey, we can take this as slowly as you want to. I know you don't want to lie, but nobody has to find out the truth yet. You have time," Trent replied.

Toby blushed slightly and fidgeted with his hands as he told the other boy, "Trent, we had sex yesterday," with the tone of a rebuttal.

"I know, I was there, or rather I was here," Trent said while pointing down at Toby's bed. He then smirked widely as he turned his body to face Toby and said, "And then you were there. And..."

Toby furiously blushed and playfully batted a hand at Trent's chest, "Stop joking. I'm trying to be serious."

Trent immediately adopted a stern face. "I didn't get the impression yesterday that you felt that was a mistake. You don't regret it, do you?" the brunet asked.

The bespectacled boy replied, "No, this might be easier to deal with if it didn't feel right."

Toby sighed and looked up, catching his boyfriend's gaze, "I felt the most amazing, intimate thing with you, and I know it wasn't a mistake. I can't compare it to sex with a girl, and I don't want to. And that's what's hard. It's hard to say that to people."

Trent immediately answered back, "No it's not. You just tell them. 'I'm gay.'" He waved his hands about dramatically before placing his left hand on his chest and continuing, "I've been doing it for nearly a decade. Being gay is like being blonde, or white, or blue-eyed. You can hide it, just like you can wear green contacts, but you can't control what you feel. Most importantly, it doesn't define who you are. "

"Trent, even if my parents accept me, not all of my friends and fans will. And then there's the people who will hate me," he said. He looked forlorn, as if he couldn't believe he had to say the words, "Not hate my acting, or hate my opinion, or hate what I'm wearing or how I look, but actually hate me. It'll be like that guy who punched me everywhere I go, for the rest of my life."

"Toby, those kinds of people won't accept you if you don't fit into their neat little box. They only accept people just like them. Being attracted to boys is just one of the many ways you probably couldn't please them," Trent said while reaching his left hand over to grasp Toby's right. He continued, "The fact that you liked having sex with me is too much for them to accept. And yes, it is hard being a gay male in America even today. Yes, it's harder to be an out celebrity and entertainer. It's also hard to raise a child, or start a business, or volunteer your time in a thankless environment."

"I just want a normal life, Trent."

"You've been on TV screens for years, Teddy. That ship has sailed. You just don't want people hating you for something you can't and shouldn't have to change about yourself," Trent explained.

Toby sighed while looking away, "You're right." He regained eye contact while continuing, "At least I have you."

Trent smiled and said, "Yup. You sure do. So are we going to do something proactive, or try to forget about it for a while?"

"I know we should call my parents, but I don't want to seriously think about that right now," the blonde said.

"Option 2. Coming right up," Trent said, smirking and leaning in to plant a tender kiss on the shorter boy's lips. Toby tilted his head back and pressed their bodies together, unlacing their fingers only to wrap both arms around Trent's back.

* * *

March 12, 2011

Aaron stepped out of the car and smiled at Emily. She stood up, walked around to the passenger side, and grabbing his tie pulled him down to her level. She gave him a passionate kiss, grabbing the back of his hair and turning it sideways suddenly when he reached up to touch her cheek with his right hand. Then she released him, in one swift motion and stepped back, "See you later, lover. Don't be late to work now..."

Aaron stood there with a dumbfounded and pleased look on his face as the blonde jumped back into her car. He leaned down and waved as she blew him a kiss and started the car, right before driving off at speed. Aaron waved again, watching her take the loop around the rest of the drive and head back to the street. Then he sighed once, and turned towards the doors of the main building of the Academy.

Once inside he began taking off his winter coat when Carey came up to him from behind and slapped him on the back, and drew him into a side hug with the same motion. "Aaron, my work-study buddy, who on Earth was that, and why did she give you the long goodbye?"

Aaron began to blush and blubbered out, "That's Emily."

"Emily, huh? Is she your girlfriend? Didn't know you were seeing someone," Carey said, fishing for more information as they walked slowly towards the Dining Hall.

"It's complicated and new, I haven't told anybody but Blaine," he said in reply.

Carey released him but leaned in close to say, "You sly dog. You've been holding out on me. I thought you only had time for studying and your nintendo."

Aaron walked on, "Um, I actually didn't buy the nintendo yet. I've been saving up for something else lately."

"Oh? Well, I won't pry about that. The gifts a man gives are his business," Carey began, only to be interrupted by Aaron's frantic question, "How did you know I was saving up for a gift?"

Carey stopped speaking, still keeping pace with Aaron and responded, "Um, because it's the natural step. You've got it bad for a girl, and you stopped saving up for a game system for yourself. Duh, give me some credit. I do more than look and sound pretty, Aaron."

Aaron laughed and said, "I keep forgetting your keenly observant nature and intelligence with all the low brow humor you throw around the kitchen."

Carey laughed along but put a serious look on his face to ask, "So, does she have any nice friends?"

Aaron rolled his eyes and pulled open the dining hall door. Carey was left in the hall nearly yelling, "What? It's a valid question!"

* * *

March 17, 2011

Jim saw his friends coming down the hallway to the dining hall and he waited for them, so that they could get a table together. When Toby and his boyfriend had finally reached him he grabbed the door handle, stepped through and held the door open behind him. Toby smirked and said his thanks quietly. Then looking back at Trent he grinned.

Jim teased him, "Toby, you sure are grinning all the time lately!"

Toby looked thoughtful for just a second and then with a shrug and a smirk responded, "Um... blondes just have more fun?"

Trent shook his head and grabbed a tray from the rack and joined in with his own version, "Maybe If you replaced blondes with another word beginning with b..."

Toby rounded on the taller, brunet boy and exclaimed, "Trent!" Then he turned away to look at the floor and blushed furiously.

Trent gave them both an innocent look, with a glint in his eyes while turning to Toby and responding, "What? You're the one who keeps begging to be in that position. I mean just yesterday..."

Toby responded immediately, "You were all covered in soap bubbles, it was hot."

Jim interrupted and said, "T.M.I., guys. T.M.I." Trent closed his mouth and smirked once more. Jim continued, "So, anything PG-13 you care to share instead?"

"That was R?" Trent began to say, but Jim cut him off again and began to blush himself before stating, "Ok, I take it back. Strictly G-rated. New topic?"

The abrupt response caused Trent and Toby to laugh, and the trio made their way through the lines of food stations, finally entering the crowd. Other Dalton students pressed in on each side, and after they finally made it out, they spotted Tim McNab sitting at an empty table.

Tim waved, and the trio headed over to sit down. "Good evening, Tim!" Toby said, while beaming at him. "Has anybody ever told you that you can be too chipper?" Jim said with a grin. Everybody cracked up and when the laughter died down, Jim sat down directly across from Tim and smiled, "So what have you been up to lately?" Toby sat next to Jim on his left and Trent flanked Tim on the other side of the table, sitting directly across from his boyfriend.

"I passed a hard Biology test, and I've been spending each weekend volunteering. I guess I just didn't want to sit around," he said, with a sheepish grin.

Toby ventured, "You really should take time for yourself. William says you play guitar. Why don't you just take time and relax with that sometime?"

Tim laughed, "Actually, I mostly play the guitar to think." Everybody else gave him a show of disbelief.

Trent said, "You're kidding right?"

Jim said, "I sure hope so. William said you're good."

"No, it's true. I've been playing for so long, that whenever I have anything I need to figure out, I grab my guitar. It sort of drowns out everything else," Tim said.

"Oh, it's your meditation," Trent said, the concept dawning on him first. Jim flashed Trent a confused look, and he elaborated, "Sometimes when I want to process an emotion I sing a song. It helps me focus. Tim plays guitar. Don't you two do something to take your mind off of everything less important than what you need to think about?"

Without missing a beat, the pair of friends sitting next to one another nodded and spoke in unison. Toby said, "Video games," while Jim said, "Computer games." Trent laughed and Tim grinned and said, "You two are really fraternal twins or something, right?" Once again the table broke into laughter, and the lighter mood persisted.

* * *

March 24, 2011

Jeff began to pack up his books after fourth period and was looking forward to one more day of school, one more Warbler practice, and then a nice, relaxing weekend. One of his classmates turned to him and asked, "So, where has your roommate been off to lately? You used to go to meals together all the time, and hang out whenever you weren't Warbling."

"Chuck, I didn't know Warbling was a verb that applied to people," Jeff responded.

The other boy replied, "Don't change the subject. Your roomie isn't around anymore. What's up with that?"

"Maybe he's got something more fun to do? We do have independent lives you know? I've been spending more time with my girlfriend for instance. You know, like you're supposed to," Jeff said with a smile.

Chuck nodded, "Yeah, yeah, Casanova. Rub it in, why don't you? Still, me and a couple of the guys wanted to go to a game, and we heard Toby went to an OSU game last year. We wondered if he liked basketball."

"For that, you'd have to find him, and convince him that a basketball game was more fun that what he's been doing. Good luck with that," Jeff said, with an air of secret knowledge. "Besides, you barely know Toby, why the sudden interest?"

"Well, we thought that school is going to be over in a few months, and you're right, we don't really know him. It'd be a shame to say later on that we went to school with a TV star and never even got to know him," Chuck answered.

Jeff nodded, "I tell you what. I'll try to mention it tonight when he gets back to the room. If he doesn't care to go though, just don't take it personally. Besides, you could always come to Regionals with us and get to know him better then."

"He's going to Show Choir Regionals?" Chuck asked.

Jeff said at the door, "You didn't know he came to Sectionals? That was all over the news."

Chuck shrugged, "Yeah, but why would he expose himself again after what happened last time?"

"Some of his best friends are Warblers. I'm sure he'll risk it," Jeff said, trying not to put more meaning into that than he had to. Then he turned and headed back to his room.

* * *

It had been two weeks since Jeff had told Toby about the rumors on Twitter. And it seemed like things were getting back to normal. Toby was his normal unassuming self, and the Twitterverse had calmed down significantly; primarily because Toby said nothing at all the entire time. Dalton's strict visitor policy had turned out to be in his favor on that score. The paparazzi weren't allowed onto the grounds, he and Trent didn't go out on the town nearly as much as they had been, and everybody seemed to believe that Toby simply wasn't dignifying the accusations with a response.

Toby entered the room, and dropped his book bag on the floor before collapsing on his bed with a groan. Jeff looked over and smirked, "What's wrong now?"

"My backside hurts from sitting too much," his roommate responded.

Jeff laughed and asked jokingly, "Are you sure it's not because of something besides the hard wooden desks?"

Toby instinctively reached up, grabbed his pillow and whipped it at Jeff with a sideways toss. His roommate exclaimed, "Hey!" as the pillow hit his upper chest.

Toby looked over, still laying down and raised his eye brows with a smirk and remarked, " _That_  doesn't actually make it hard for me to sit, walk funny or any of the other silly stories you've probably heard."

"Well, you've ushered me out of the room twice since last Thursday, and handed me and Adriana tickets to a play in Columbus last Saturday. What am I supposed to think?" Jeff asked with a sly grin.

Toby began to blush furiously and sat up in bed. He looked away and then back at Jeff, "You're awfully comfortable talking about this. Jim covers his ears and goes 'La La la la' if I give him a truthful answer, but he asks questions all the time."

"Dude, I've seen a gay porn before. It was in middle school. I wasn't turned on by it, but I thought it was cool the actors seemed into it. I think they were a couple," he admitted.

Toby just stared at him and then said, "Wow. I haven't even seen gay porn." Jeff stood up, grabbed Toby's pillow and threw it back at his roommate's head. The pillow hit him square on, and his reflexive dodge with his arms coming up to ward off the blow only served to trap the pillow against his face.

"I've got progressive parents who thought sex ed was lacking at my school. They gave me a straight porn too. Don't make it into anything weird," he said once Toby had returned his pillow to the head of his bed.

"Um, your parents giving you porn to watch is always weird. It makes them unbelievably cool, but weird," Toby said, causing Jeff to roll his eyes. Toby continued, "So the whole jittery thing at the club was because you've never been hit on before by a guy?"

Jeff smiled and sat back down, "Try anyone. I asked Adriana out, remember?"

Toby nodded, as he remembered most of the particulars of that relationship's beginnings, even if he didn't think about them often. "I can relate. Trent's the only person who ever asked me out, and I ran away at first too," he said.

"Really? I thought you and Clarice were a thing for a while?" Jeff asked.

Toby shook his head, "We never officially asked each other out, we just went from hanging out to going out. It was sort of never official, and when I finally got up the courage to ask, she ended things."

Jeff's eyebrow quirked and his brown eyes flashed back to Toby's face, "That's a little rude."

"She said it was because she could tell I was in love with Trent. Of course if she had used his name, that might have prevented the little car accident I had on the way back here," Toby said, a laugh on his lips.

"Accident?" Jeff asked incredulously.

"It wasn't serious," he responded, "I just freaked out and ran the car into a snow bank on the side of the road."

* * *

Tim burst out of the dormitory building and onto the snow littered ground. He was just about to jog in place, the first thing he always did after warm up stretches, conducted inside this morning, and the last thing he did before running. It was especially important in the chill March air. Something caught his eye however, the form of a boy wearing sweat pants, and a hoodie already running laps. Tim couldn't believe it, he was usually alone on his 6 am run.

He ran through his last warm up exercise and then took off after the other student. The sky was a pretty meld of warm, rosy pink at the horizon fading to a purple and orange mass. It was breathtaking to experience, but also too dark to see much of anything until you got right near it. He pulled up behind the other runner and called out, "Hey!" The runner noticed him and slowed down, allowing them to run in parallel. Tim recognized Adam, Toby's friend and he smiled and waved. "Beautiful morning!" he called out.

Adam smirked and said, "Sure is. Thought I'd get into shape before tryouts started."

The pair jogged past the path laden with trees just sprouting new leaves and Tim asked, "Tryouts? Are you going out for Track team this year?"

Adam nodded and said, "Yup! I just got the idea to do something active this year, and basketball is too competitive."

"Do you mean the team competition or the fact that the team captain is Carey?" Tim asked.

Adam smirked and simply replied, "Guess."

Tim smiled and said, "Well, Track can always use more good members. If you want I'll help you get ready."

"I'd like that a lot," Adam said.

"Then get ready to run. It's not just all endurance and cross country training," he said. Then he took off like a shot.

"Hey," Adam said before laughing and putting on a burst of speed to catch up. They rounded the entire length of the grounds and back and made it to the dormitory door within seconds of each other. Adam grabbed the door and threw it open, holding the door for Tim as they rushed inside and collapsed onto the first pieces of furniture they could find. The pair of them sat panting, Adam leaned over the most, his head nearly between his legs.

They heard, "So, you've found yourself a training partner, Tim." Both of them looked up and made out Marcus Lyle. Adam gathered himself enough to smile and wave in greetings, but Marcus rebuffed him by pretending not to acknowledge him.

"I suppose you'll need to catch your breath before you can stop making a spectacle in the hallway. Good day," Marcus continued, then began to walk back towards his room.

Adam was perplexed by the exchange, he'd never been friends with Marcus, but he'd never done anything to get on the affluent boy's bad side either.

"Do... do you know what... what that was all about?" Tim asked Adam. Adam had gathered more breath by now and just shook his head and said, "No, not a clue."

* * *

Aaron Garvin was the picture of nervousness. He kept straightening his uniform jacket, and fidgeting with his hands whenever he didn't have anything else to do. Occasionally he'd stand from the park bench and look around. It was obvious to any observer that his wait was nerve wracking, and when he at last picked out of the crowd the one he had been waiting for, it seemed to get worse. She was nonchalantly moving through the sparse groups of people and she smiled once and sat down in a hurry next to him.

He gulped and looked over at her, "Hi, Emily." The blonde flashed her green eyes at him and snuggled closer before reaching up to drag her right hand over her ear, pulling her hair out of the way. She then asked, "So, what's this important rendezvous about?"

Aaron looked down at his hands and then back up at her, his expressive blue eyes a confusing torrent of emotions. "Um... I wanted to give you this," he said while handing her a small, plain looking bag. She took it and looked inside. There was a plain white box, which Emily reached for and withdrew. "I want you to be my girlfriend...," he concluded after turning to face her. Aaron began to search her face for a response as she pulled the top of the box off and exposed the plain silver-colored band to the early spring air.

Emily turned the box left and right, allowing the sunlight to glint off the ring's surface but she didn't remove the gift from the box. She seemed to be appraising it. Aaron ran out of patience and pressed further, "Emily, say something please."

She sighed and put the top back on the box. "Aaron, I can't accept this," she said as she put the box back in the bag. His eyes began to quake slightly, and he just continued to stare at her as she continued. "Firstly, I like what we have going on. It's informal. We go out. We stay in. We have fun. There's no pressure. We aren't meant for an exclusive deal. I thought you had figured that out by now. I'm a politician's daughter."

"Emily, after everything we've done these last few weeks... I'm really attached to you, and I like you too much to share you. You know what that means, right?" he asked.

"Look, we're more than friends with benefits, but I told you there might be limits to a relationship the day you asked me out. You said, you didn't care about that, and here we are. Suddenly you care," she responded.

Aaron was crushed and he slumped against the back of the bench, brushed his black hair out of his eyes with his right hand and said, "I thought we had grown close. You said there might be limits, but you also hinted that I had a shot with you. I thought you liked me as much as I like you."

"Oh, grow up. The sex wasn't even that great," she said, and his mouth dropped open. She reached over, and closed his mouth with her left hand and said, "I do like you, for your personality. Why do you think we still go out? It's nothing personal, I just don't think my parents would approve. So let's get back to being comfortable doing what we do," she said. Then the feisty blonde stood up and looked at him, as if that was his cue to stand up with her.

Aaron looked away from her and said, "Since you've misread me so badly, I don't think we should be involved with each other anymore." The pain was obvious on his face, and he looked ready to burst into tears at any moment.

Emily rolled her eyes and said, "It's your loss," while shrugging. "If I had known you were the clingy type, I would have broken things off weeks ago," she said before turning and walking away. Aaron had managed to avoid breaking down until she was out of earshot, but he couldn't hold it in any further. He began to cry and nearby people turned to look at him. He managed to silently sob for a few minutes more, before dragging himself to his feet and trudging off in a direction away from everyone.

* * *

"Baby, there are still nosy people out there. We can't go all the way to Columbus and spend all day in the mall!" Toby implored as they walked down the hallway on Saturday morning. Toby was wearing casual clothes, but Trent was wearing his blues.

Trent just shook his head and responded, "You can't live your life according to that kind of thinking or you'll be afraid to just relax, all the time." He emphasized the last phrase with his eyes and Toby sighed.

"Well, this is gonna sound really bad, but I'm not confident enough to hold your hand at a mall," he said.

"Teddy, I don't care about that. Would I enjoy it? Yes, but is it necessary? No," Trent responded. It was a few seconds before he continued, "I think you'll find that even guys who have been out for years don't always hold hands or hug and kiss in public."

Toby stopped at one of the dormitory doors and looked inside. The pair saw William and Tim were here, William with his headphones on, and Tim reading his Biology book. Trent knocked on the door and Tim looked up, and climbed from his bed to see who was in the hallway.

"Oh, hi guys. Come on in," Tim said when he recognized them. Without any preamble he walked over to William's bed and tapped his roommate on the shoulder. The pair walked in.

William cleared one ear and asked, "Yes, Tim?"

"Trent and Toby came by for a visit," Tim said.

William took his headphones off entirely, and hit pause on his MP3 player, ending the faint sound of piano keys. "Hi guys. Are you two glad it's the weekend? Tim over here doesn't get it."

Tim laughed and said, "Hey, I finished my biology homework, I just wanted to make sure I understood mitochondrial interactions better. We do have a test coming up."

Trent groaned, "Ugh, don't remind me."

Toby paused for a second and then said, "Maybe you could help my boyfriend out with that, Tim?"

Tim responded with, "Sure," then stopped, quirked an eyebrow and looked at the pair. "Your boyfriend?"

Toby began to get flustered looking and nodded, "I wanted to make sure you knew. I'm telling all my friends."

Tim smiled and said, "Sweet! I'm real happy for you! For both of you!"

Trent leaned in and said, "See...," meant for Toby's ears but loud enough the others could hear, and they all burst into laughter.

"So, are you two lovebirds doing anything special today?" William asked.

Trent replied before Toby could change his mind, again, "We're thinking about going mall hopping all day."

"Well, that sounds like fun," William replied. Tim nodded and said, "It does at that. Do you want to go out, Will? We don't have to cramp their style, but we could take a trip too."

Toby's eyes lit up and he said, "Yeah, you would be welcome to come with us. It's not a date, Trent just wanted to spend time away from Dalton since it's been three weeks since we went anywhere."

Trent sniffed and asked, "And who's fault is that, Mr. I-Just-Want-to-Lie-Here-With-You?"

Toby's cheeks got red and he said, "I did just want to do that then."

Trent reached over and embraced him in a brief hug, "I was just teasing." Then he turned to look at the pair of roommates and asked, "So are you in? Toby's impala seats four comfortably, and Aaron Neville doesn't take up too much room."

William took the entire conversation in, but his facial expression was a sad one when he replied, "It does sound like a good time, but I'm more worried about my picks for the recital. Tim, you go with them. I'm going to stay here and finish that up."

Tim said, "Okay, Will, just don't get so wrapped up you forget to feed, or walk Aaron Neville." Then he smiled and walked over to his roommate's bed where the seeing eye dog lay at his master's feet, "In fact, let me go walk him right now. He won't tinkle on the floor even if you forget for an hour that way." William nodded his assent and Tim reached down to attach the leash that was always kept on the nightstand to the dog's collar.

Toby and Trent fell in behind Tim as Aaron Neville led the way out of the room, and William managed to catch him asking them a question as they entered the hallway.

"So how frisky have you two gotten?"

"We've gone all the way, but haven't done everything there is to do."

"Trent! You could have just said we've had sex," Toby loudly whispered.

Tim's laughter floated down the corridor, and caused William to chuckle before pulling his headphones back on.

* * *

It was late evening, and the halls had begun to thin out considerably. Toby was glad that Trent had persuaded him to leave Dalton today. They had had a great time, and he was reasonably certain that nobody had even recognized him. They were just three guys out having fun in a mall all day. Now they were standing outside Toby's door, and Trent was smirking at him knowingly. Trent said, "So, I guess this is good night, huh?"

"Yeah, we're just past curfew and there really isn't any place private enough for... you know," Toby replied.

"You can say the word sex if you want to. Nobody's around," Trent said, with a silent laugh on his lips.

Toby blushed and playfully pushed a hand against Trent's chest with his left hand, only to have Trent move closer to him and briefly clasp both arms around the back of his neck. Then he leaned in and kissed Toby with his eyes closed. Toby closed his eyes too, and almost gave himself to the moment right there, only his long standing guilt at impropriety caused him to break apart from his boyfriend. They opened their eyes, blue irises meeting fiery green ones, and searching back and forth with excitement.

"Tomorrow, Teddy. Sleep well," Trent said before walking away down the hallway. Toby waved and then turned around. He fumbled in his pockets for a while before he managed to fish out his keys and happened to hear a sound from the bend in the hallway. Toby looked up and saw a fellow student standing there, as if he had just walked up. The stocky blonde smiled politely, and tried to make out who it was, but the boy turned back around and headed for the stairs.

That change in lighting illuminated his face and Toby recognized Marcus, his project partner from a few weeks ago in Lit class. He waved, just as Marcus looked back one more time before disappearing round the corner. Toby thought it odd that Marcus didn't even respond, but he shrugged and finished unlocking the door to his room and went inside.

* * *

March 28, 2011

Mrs. Chapel and everyone else in the room heard the last bell. She looked around the classroom and said, "Very well, it's 3:10, so we'll pick up in New Amsterdam tomorrow." The boys around the room immediately began to raise a din putting their books away and prepared to leave. When half the front rows had become a line for the door, she turned back towards the room and casually announced, "Mr. Garvin. I'd like you to stay after class."

Nearly every boy looked at Aaron as he finished putting his things away and he sat back down at his desk. It seemed that everyone else filed out quickly after that, but the chatting stopped. Once they were alone, Mrs. Chapel looked up and ran her eyes over Aaron's face and upper torso, essentially all she could see of him from her seat at the front of the room behind her desk.

"Do you want to explain to me why your history essay was so uncharacteristically bad, Mr. Garvin?" she asked. He stared at her blankly, and the awkward silence continued to fill the room, and the wide open space between them. Outside in the hallway students continued to walk past in waves of small groups.

"Excuse me, Ma'am?" he managed to work up the courage to ask. Mrs. Chapel stood up and planting her right hand on the desk, pushed her way to the front and leaned back to sit on the edge of the desk itself, and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I asked you if you wished to give me a reason for why your work has suddenly become so slapdash and unfocused over the last few weeks? That essay was absolutely horrible. I don't expect to get that quality from the worst students at this school, and certainly not from my brightest one," she replied matter-of-factly.

Aaron fidgeted in his seat and looked down, it felt like he was explaining to his mother, "I was being distracted... but that's over," he said.

"Like hell it is," she retorted. Mrs. Chapel pushed herself off of the desk, and walked down the aisle made by the columns of student seating. Aaron seemed taken aback by the words she chose and leaned back as she finished closing the distance and towered over him. "The emotional condition is written all over your face. So you fell in love, and you stopped having the focus needed to do your school work. I get it. This is the time of your life where hormones influence your every thought. However, I've got plenty of lovesick students and they still manage to turn in a decent paper once in a while," she said.

"It's not like that," he squeaked out, trying to placate his furious teacher, as she poured her disappointment out at him.

She leaned back, and adopted a patient attitude to ask, "It isn't? So, whatever gender this distracting presence is...," before being interrupted by Aaron piping in, "It was a she."

Mrs. Chapel sighed and continued, "So, you're over this girl? Not likely. You need to get your head on straight, whether you're seeing her or not. High School love rarely results in anything lasting, so don't flush your future down the drain along with your relationship."

"I know, Mrs. Chapel. I'll concentrate harder in the future. I'll do better," he answered, adopting a sincere attitude, and looking her in the eyes. The older woman gave him a considered look, holding eye contact for nearly twenty seconds, which seemed far longer to Aaron by the way he fidgeted, and then nodded.

"I'll hold you to that. Otherwise I'll be recommending you for a failing grade," she said. When he didn't do or say anything immediately afterwards she explained, "That means you'll flunk my class. It doesn't mean I'll ask the Headmistress' permission."

Aaron leapt up and said, "I understand, Mrs. Chapel!" Then he hurriedly fled the room, bunching up as he slid his tall slim body past her.

* * *

Toby steeled himself as he pulled his cellphone from his pocket and sat down on his bed. He reached out his left hand towards his boyfriend and smiled. Trent grasped his hand and sat down on the mattress beside him. "Are you ready to have this conversation?"

The blonde nodded but didn't seem fully resolved. "I just don't know how they will take the news," he confessed. The fear of rejection was an easy one for Trent to recognize from Toby's reserved manner.

"Well, I'm sure you have nothing to fear given how they accepted your friend JD," he offered.

"I know. I just don't know for sure. My dad and I had the birds and the bees talk, awkwardly when I was 14, but my parents never once turned to me and said that they'd love and accept me if I started dating guys," he said.

"Maybe they felt that it was understood. So many accepting people think their beliefs are obvious," Trent replied. Toby sighed and toggled on his phone with his right hand. Then he called up the contacts list and tapped his parents' home number. The phone rang once and Toby felt his stomach tighten. It rang a second time and a lump began to form in his throat. After the third ring he began to become less anxious at the thought that his parents were out and he could put off this conversation until later, maybe at a time when he was feeling braver.

Then the line connected and he heard, "Hello, Armstrong residence."

"Hey, dad," Toby squeaked out as his nervousness constricted his voice.

"Toby! It's good to hear from you. It's not even a holiday yet," his father said and then laughed into the phone. Toby heard him call for his mother to pick up the line.

"So is there a special occasion? You didn't get assaulted again, did you?" his dad asked.

"Well, someone is posting things about me on the Internet and I wanted to talk to you about it."

"You know to ignore internet rumors. More than half of what people say about you on the Internet is baseless or rooted in speculation. You're usually so good about letting that roll off your back," he said.

"Happy Tuesday, Toby," he heard as his mom picked up.

"Hey, mom," he said. He breathed in taking a deep breath, and then said, "The rumors are true. I'm in love with someone and..."

"That's wonderful news, son! You were so hurt when Melissa broke things off," his father said, interrupting him mid-sentence.

"Do we have to hop on a plane to meet the young lady?" his mother asked, then pressed onward, "How serious is this relationship?"

It took several moments for Toby to gather the courage to stop the flood of questions and say, "I'm dating Trent. I was hoping he'd come home with me this summer and it's very serious."

There was silence on the other end of the line for a second, and then Toby heard his father clear his throat. "So, are Trent's parents okay with him leaving Ohio and spending the summer with us, because you boys aren't allowed to visit for a weekend and then flit off back to the Midwest!"

Toby was floored and his jaw hung ajar as he listened to the other side of the conversation. "What did they say?" Trent pressed his lover, squeezing his hand.

"We haven't asked them yet, it was sort of assumed he'd be able to come," Toby said into the phone. He looked at Trent and had tears in his eyes, and a big smile on his face.

"Well, you need to clear things with them," his mother said, with a very mundane tone, as if this was all normal and to be expected.

"And you'll want to talk to your agent. I don't know if you're calling yourself gay, or bisexual, but the media loves labels, and if this rumor mill erupts she will want to know about it sooner rather than later," his mom said. Toby couldn't help but quietly agree to call his agent later that day.

"Um, I haven't been labeling myself. I'm not really attracted to a lot of guys, or girls for that matter, but I love Trent," he said in response.

"Toby, never forget that we love you. It took courage to tell us this, but I don't imagine this was as easy as it could have been," his dad said. Toby was crying, and it could be heard on the other end of the line.

"Don't cry, son. You'll make me cry too. Andy, let's let the boy go for now. Love you," she said.

"Love you too, mom, dad," Toby said before lowering the phone from his ear.

"So... things went really well then?" Trent asked, letting go of Toby's hand so that he could wipe his eyes and cheeks dry. His lover nodded silently and then wrapped his arms around Trent in an embrace. Trent just grabbed on tightly, and held him for long minutes.

"Well, here's hoping things stay as low key when we call my parents. They were hoping to make me stay home all summer, and I kind of told my dad that you and I were just good friends when he first heard about you," Trent said.

"You weren't ashamed of me were you?" Toby asked, jokingly, while wiping away tears that hadn't yet stopped with his left hand.

"No, it was about 2 months after you and I became friends, in November," he said.

"Wow, that seems like forever ago now," Toby said.

"I know, Teddy. Believe me, I know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, sorry for the delay, I honestly have no buffer material right now, so if I get busy or distracted by real life, my posting frequency suffers. This one is structured weirdly because I had to push material from this chapter into next, and it starts right where the previous chapter leaves off, and moves forward with a big time skip in the middle. Next chapter will likely be similar. I'm a firm believer in no recaps, and only showing things that advance some part of the plot or develop some character so a lot of things I could have written were omitted. That's why there was no musical number. Please be patient, we're coming up on Regionals next time. As always I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy making it, and your comments are always appreciated. I try to live up to your appreciation whenever I can.


	19. Rumors Abound

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy Boxing Day. This is a deluxe size chapter, so I'll keep my notes brief. Things are slowing down, but I still intend 2+ more chapters to bring this story to a close. Bear with me, as I don't have the ability to devote time exclusively to this work in my spare time.

**Disclaimer** : I don't own Glee, and this isn't an a threat to the rights of those who do.

* * *

April 1, 2011

Kurt was settling in, having just finished his skin regimen. It was one of the few times he got to do something mindless and repetitive with his hands and just think about his day, his thoughts and feelings. He felt uneasy as he reviewed today. Blaine hadn't deserved the words Kurt had thrown in his face about the Warblers being "Blaine and the Pips."

It wasn't really fair to his friend if everybody on the council was so in love with Blaine. It was funny how all three of them were straighter than straight but couldn't get over their hero worship of the vivacious tenor. Sometimes he wished he could get over his crush-like worship of the boy himself. The rest of the time he just wished Blaine would return his feelings.

Refusing to become a sad lump sitting there feeling sorry for himself, Kurt decided to be proactive, and start the reading he was certain they were due to be assigned on Monday. He had barely turned the page when his cell phone rang. He didn't think it could be Finn, his step-brother was out on a date with Quinn, but Kurt couldn't guess who else would think to call him this late on a Friday without texting first?

He scrambled for the phone and barely had time to see that it was Mercedes before he had to press "Answer" or risk it going to voicemail.

"Hey, Mercedes. What's wrong?" he asked.

There was silence on the other end of the line for a brief moment before Mercedes asked, "How did you know I was calling about something being wrong?"

Kurt flipped over onto his back on the bed and answered, "Let's just say that you're not big into April Fools, and you called me out of the blue, late on a Friday night."

Mercedes chuckled and said, "Well, you're right. I was reading this celebrity gossip page called The Scandal Sheet and I wanted to ask you if you'd seen it?"

Kurt looked confused and then intrigued, "No, I've heard of it but it has never come up on a web search for me, so I've never looked into it. Why? Is there something juicy going on with Brangelina?" Kurt rolled off the bed, walked past Pavarotti's cage and sat down at his desk, before reaching for his laptop.

"No, Kurt. It's a little closer to home than that. There's a photo of Toby Armstrong on it today," she replied. Kurt managed to get his laptop open and it resumed, coming back to life with a quick burst of light on the screen.

"Seriously? Okay, I'm searching for it now," he said. It was awkward to type with one hand while holding onto the phone with the other, so he put Mercedes on speakerphone and set it down.

Kurt sighed as he waited for the page to load, it was painfully slow and if he hadn't just searched for the Scandal Sheet's web address, he'd have been sure it was because of a service outage. He gasped as the photo finally loaded and he heard Mercedes ask, "So, does everybody at your school grab boys by the hand and lead them around, or is it just Blaine? Cause this looks... kinda... no offense but..."

Kurt gathered himself enough to speak while looking at a shot of Toby in bad lighting, with a dopey grin on his face being led through the halls by another Dalton boy who was all but out of shot. Still, given what he knew about the situation Kurt didn't have to guess to know who it was. "Mercedes, this is strictly between us, okay?"

Mercedes was quiet for a minute and then said, "Are you swearing me to secrecy? Kurt, that's unfair if it's about gossip! You know I can't keep anything juicy to myself! A girl has to chat!"

"'Cedes, this is more important than that, and if you don't want to keep it quiet, then we can talk about something else," he said. He picked up the phone and turned off speakerphone, ran to the door at the top of the stairs and locked it. By the time he had returned to his desk, he thought he heard the sigh as his friend came to terms with her need to spread gossip and her need to hear it.

"Okay," she said, "whatever you tell me doesn't go to anybody else."

Kurt softly said, "He's dating a Warbler."

There was a sharp intake of breath from the other side of the conversation, and Mercedes finally got her breath back. "Are you dating him?"

Kurt laughed lightly, "No, I'm still trying to get over my crush. Plus, he's not exactly my type. We're decent friends, but mostly he's into video games and football, and doesn't have anything deep to say about Broadway."

"So it is Blaine?" she asked, causing Kurt's heart to clench. He forced himself to breathe and responded, "No, Blaine isn't seeing anyone. Besides, it's taken Blaine a long time to warm up to Toby, period. Look, let's not play twenty questions. I felt comfortable telling you this much because you swore, all the Warblers know, and he's even begun telling his friends, but naming names is his business."

Mercedes sighed and said, "God, Kurt. I never thought that something that looked like primo rumor-fodder would end up being true." She laughed and continued, "Now I'm sad you said anything, because if he comes to Regionals with you all I'll have to pretend I don't know, and you know Santana is going to be spreading whatever she can find around."

Kurt unconsciously shrugged and said, "Hey, it's not like I'm asking you to help hide the fact that he's dating a guy. I just said you can't tell anybody what I told you."

"So what's it like going to a school where you can watch two boys in love?" she asked.

It took him a long moment to respond, "Um, they're kind of sickening actually. They are very discreet, but it's kind of obvious if you know what to look for that they moon over one another constantly."

"Well, I think it sounds cute. More power to the boy. He didn't seem stuck up to me, so maybe he's a good catch," she replied.

Kurt thought to himself, 'For as long as it gets to last, yes he's a great catch.' Outwardly he said, "So, this is unexpected. Why does it always seem like drama appears right before a competition?"

"Speaking of drama, is Blaine picking up on your signals? When I asked if Blaine was dating Toby I was more scared that you two were going to have a meltdown," Mercedes said.

"Nope. No meltdown. No nothing. We're just friends," he replied.

Mercedes shook her head and Kurt could almost see the motion based on her tone, "Kurt, you need to tell him what you feel soon. Apparently he doesn't do subtle very well, and this is eating you alive."

"Sure, I will. Come summer, or if we win Nationals," he said, trying to push a confession love as far away as possible from the forefront of his mind. His attempt to placate Mercedes failed as he heard her exclaim, "Kurt!"

* * *

Jeff leaned over the edge of his car roof as Adriana walked down to the drive on this bright Saturday morning. Her eyes sparkled and her smile was like a beacon to him. He bounded around the car and embraced her in his arms, "I've missed you," he said, staring into her eyes. She leaned in, rose onto her tiptoes and kissed him tenderly.

"What? Dinner on Wednesday was too long ago?" she said as they separated the inches required to still have their arms wrapped around one another.

He smiled and said, "Every minute is too long." She laughed and tightened her grasp to squeezed him slightly, "Good answer."

Jeff smiled and drew away to pop open the door and then ran around to the driver's side. "I've got the perfect place to go for brunch. It's a little cafe I heard about last year."

Adriana joined him in the car, and smirked as she buckled her seat belt, "Last year? What took you so long to suggest it?"

Jeff said, "Well, honestly I think I'm the only person who hasn't been there..."

"Probably. My favorite breakfast spot here is The Best Breakfast and Sandwiches over on Westerville Road," she responded.

"How did you?" he began to ask.

"Um, because it's one of the few excellent, unique restaurants we have here?" she asked sarcastically.

* * *

"So, Aaron. Do you have any plans today? You said you didn't have to work in the dining hall today so I thought you'd be gone by now. It's nearly 9," Blaine asked.

Aaron looked over from the bed he was still laying in. It wasn't like he was exactly sleeping in, more like lounging, as the sun brightly illuminated everything in the room, and Blaine had already showered, dressed and come back from breakfast already. "Why would I be anywhere?" he asked with an air of malaise.

Blaine raised an eye brow at that, turned to face him and asked, "Um... aren't you going on a date today? Emily?"

Aaron's face screwed up into a confused mask of emotion, he flipped over in bed to face away from his roommate and said, "That stuck up bitch and I are done."

Blaine crossed the space between them and looked down on his friend, "Do you want to talk about it? Why didn't you tell me? I've been thinking something had been weighing you down lately."

Aaron turned back over, and then sat up in bed. "I didn't tell you because I was trying to forget about her and you have a tendency to try and fix things," he admitted.

Blaine felt shocked, "Um... what?"

"Remember how you nearly got your friend hitched to a clingy jerk last semester?" Aaron asked, pointedly making eye contact with Blaine and making him back up and sit down on his own bed with the accusation.

"That was a totally different situation. I wanted Trent to be happy and the only feedback I heard was from Andrew, and he was happy, so I thought Trent was too," Blaine explained. "What happened?"

Aaron sighed and said, "I opened myself up to her, I fell in love, and when I wanted to make us official she said that she couldn't get attached to anyone before college and that I was a lousy screw to pass the time with."

Eyes popped open wider at this revelation, "Wow."

Aaron looked over at Blaine and said, "Wow?"

Blaine nodded, "Yeah. Wow. She  _is_  a stone cold bitch. You don't need a girl like her, Aaron. That's... that's just... wow."

"Yeah, it all started when I bought a ring," Aaron started the explanation.

* * *

"So how is your Southwestern Omelette?" Jeff asked. They had just been served and he was tucking into his own dish, a ham and cheese omelette.

"It's not as spicy as I expected, but it is for breakfast, so I don't mind," she replied with a smile.

"So, it's one week to go, huh? And then on to New York!" she inserted. Jeff looked up and after a moment smiled.

He put his fork down momentarily and broke out into a grin while saying, "Yeah. You should have seen the performance of  _Misery_  we gave yesterday. The other students loved it! Really our best singing and footwork all year!"

Adriana wistfully placed her cheek in her palm and said, "I can't wait to see you at the competition this weekend."

"Hey, don't go putting me on a pedestal now. I just am so glad the council is letting me contribute so much this year," he said while taking another bite of his food. He smirked as he brought his eyes back up to meet hers and she still hadn't moved. "Your food is going to get cold."

"Sorry, somehow it just wasn't on my mind," she replied, before sitting up and resuming breakfast.

"What do you want to do to celebrate?" she asked.

"How about dinner out on the town? But what if we don't win?" Jeff asked.

"Oh, don't worry about that. You worry about doing your best, and we'll celebrate that. Which is a good reason to celebrate anything if you ask me," she said.

Jeff laughed and smiled, "You're too good to me, sometimes. There's never any pressure with you, except for the pressure of being good enough to deserve your happy thoughts."

"Hey, don't go blaming that on me. You make me happy. I can't help it if you get the unconscious result of that back," she chuckled in response.

"So what are your plans for this summer?" Jeff asked.

Adriana was somewhat taken aback by the conversation shift, and replied, "Well, my parents want me to stay around, but I had intended to take a trip up to Cleveland area."

He feigned ignorance and asked, "Oh? Do you know someone in that area? I'm from there. Maybe I know the other person?"

"No, I don't think you know him. He's an amazing guy I met this year and it's near his home. He doesn't even know I'm coming to visit, so it'll be a nice surprise," she said.

Jeff smirked, "Well, I'll try not to get jealous while you're surprising this fellow."

* * *

April 4, 2011

Toby was glad to head to class today. It was the first day of the week, and at the end of that week was Show Choir Regionals. He walked through the halls with a smile on his face, his book bag slung over his left shoulder and not a care in the world. He walked past several other students he recognized, and he nodded or waved at them, but didn't pause to chat or pay too much attention to their responses. If he saw the beginnings of a response, the gleeful daze he was in clouded over it all.

It wasn't until he slowed upon reaching the hallway for his first class and looked back that he noticed. More than half the boys standing in the halls were looking in his direction, and he could swear that some of the smaller groups were whispering to each other. As he paused outside the door to Literature II, he watched a few more people file in. Marcus walked up to the door with a friend who wasn't in their class, and Toby waved at him. Marcus ignored him, looked at his friend and headed inside without saying anything, and his friend winked at Toby before walking away down the hall.

Toby saw Nick approaching and walked over to him with a scared expression on his face and asked, "Um, Nick, do I have bed head, or something on my face, or a note on my back? Everybody is being weird this morning!"

Nick looked him over and checked his back for a childish 'kick me' sign, and said, "No, you're good on that score." Then he paused and looked over Toby's shoulder, and took stock of the boys still lingering in the hall and passing hurried glances and hushed conversation between one another.

"But something else is up. Did you do anything with Trent over the weekend?" he asked, drawing Toby to the side and lowering his voice.

Toby blushed furiously and lowered his gaze, he looked up to regain eye contact and whispered, "Saturday was amazing, but we didn't do anything in public. I swear!"

Nick smirked at the response and said, "I understand. But, it looks like everybody knows something. Ask around?" He looked up as the familiar click of heels came down the hallway, "After class, here comes Mrs. Partridge!" Nick ushered him into the classroom and they found their seats a mere minute before their stickler of a teacher came in and closed the door.

* * *

Jeff unlocked the door and walked in on his roommate lying on his bed facing the window. He looked like he had been crying because when he rolled over, his cheeks looked puffy and his glasses weren't on. He weakly pushed himself up to a sitting position and gave a weak smile, "Hi, Jeff."

"What's wrong? Did you get some bad news too?" he asked.

"Too? What's wrong?" the stocky blonde asked. His own issue seemed to flit off of his face and all Jeff read was concern, so he continued, "Well, Kurt showed up in mourning clothes today, which none of us knew until practice because none of us has Monday classes with him, and told us Pavarotti died last night. Then we sang a song in tribute. Practice pretty much ended after that."

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. You've told me about your mascot before. How is Trent doing? Should I call him?" Toby asked.

"Maybe after you tell me what's up with you," Jeff countered.

Toby reached behind him, grabbed a piece of paper and handed it to Jeff, then looked down at his lap. "Now I know what the weird stares were for earlier today," was all he said. Jeff looked down at the piece of paper to see that it was a letter.

_Toby,_

_I know you don't know me, but ever since you came to our school at the beginning of the year, I've had a crush on you. It began when I was ogling you in the hall and someone had to tell me who you are. Then I spent some time watching some clips of what you do and it only made me think you were even cuter. I never once thought you might be gay, like me, so I never thought I'd have a chance with you. Then I saw the post over the weekend on the Scandal Sheet, and I knew I had to ask. If you are gay, will you go out with me on Friday night? I know I'm just a first year student and you're about to graduate, but it would mean the world to me if you gave me a serious response. I know you probably get swarmed all the time by fans and admirers. I just wouldn't be able to live with myself if I never asked._

_Frank Bonner-Early_

"Wow, so when are you going to let him down easy?" Jeff asked. He wracked his brain to put a face to the name, and finally came up with one. Frank was an average looking first year who seemed to do okay in classes but didn't go out for any extracurriculars.

"After I stop feeling like an outcast because my love life is on the internet? So never," Toby responded.

Jeff walked over to his computer, woke it up and quickly looked up the web page for the Scandal Sheet. He brought up the page and sifted backwards. When he found what he was looking for, he chuckled.

"What? What's funny?" his roommate asked.

"Oh, you do look smitten in this photo. But it's not like someone caught you and Trent rolling around half-naked," Jeff looked over and pointedly smirked, "Although I really don't want details about how you two make out." He then smiled and continued, "I'm just saying things could be worse." Toby scrambled to look at the computer screen and when he saw the picture he smiled, obviously remembering the day.

"I guess I just have to get used to this and not care what people think. I think I'll go find Frank right now. Even if I can't ever feel comfortable with people staring, he shouldn't have to wait for a long time after a confession like this," he said and with a smile, he picked up the letter and walked out.

* * *

William was walking back to the room after Tuesday morning classes let out. He was on his way to the dining hall, but had plenty on his mind as he fretted about the pieces he was organizing for the recital. Some of them required additional accompaniment, and others were for instruments he couldn't play live, so he was having trouble juggling the preparations as well as the play order.

Aaron Neville was doing a wonderful job of keeping him from bumping into anyone, but he was a bit rushed and he collided with someone else in the hallway. Down he went and collided with the floor. He gathered his wits and pushed up off of the floor to a standing position. The other person hadn't said anything other than to grunt, so he had no clue who he had just rammed into.

"I am so sorry," he said while holding his hand about waist level, assuming that the other person had fallen as well.

He heard the voice say, "That won't be necessary, I kept my footing. Try to slow down, Arlington. The hallway is really crowded." He recognized the speaker as Marcus Lyle, from Literature class. He then heard Marcus begin speaking to someone else, and he deduced he must have been on the cell phone. No wonder he was blindsided by William's rapid intrusion.

"No, that was the blind boy. He's just quiet, Jen," he said to the party on the other end of the line, and William heard him walking around him to the right. The slight breeze of others swishing past on his left told William that he had been right about the number of people in the hallway. William felt around for Aaron Neville and found him standing nearby, waiting for his master.

He had just grasped the harness once more, when he overheard Marcus say, "Just being that close to him made my skin crawl, but we turned in the scene and are just waiting to hear our grade now. He's not as dumb as I thought. Just... well, you know," into his phone. Then almost immediately afterwards, "Yeah, of course I saw it. It's why we're talking about this right now, right?" After that, the voice faded into the background and William began walking slowly towards his goal once more.

He wondered who Marcus could have been speaking about. Normally William ignored school gossip. He felt it was his duty to ignore lots of things because few people understood how good his hearing really was, and said things in confidence to others around him all the time. Still, this didn't sound too good. Marcus was from a well-off family, and he could realistically do a lot more than gossip if he were sufficiently annoyed with another student. Very little of it would fall outside of the anti-bullying policy, but that would only apply if he got caught, and there was that story last year about the scholarship student suddenly transferring back to the rough public school in his hometown.

'Maybe I'll have to ask my friends if they've heard anything,' he told himself.

* * *

"So... who is your roommate dating? We've got a pool going, and I want to win that $250," Chuck said as they rounded the corner to the upper floor classroom stairway.

Jeff looked over incredulously, "What? You've got a betting pool going on who's dating Toby? What makes you think he's dating  _anyone_?"

"I've seen that movie he was in. I know what he looks like when he's faking being in love, and the picture on the web isn't fake," his classmate said. Jeff sighed, and then laughed. "What's so funny?"

"That you would come ask me who he's dating," Jeff replied.

Chuck and now another one of their classmates sidled up and wrapped an arm around Jeff's shoulders in a really familiar gesture, "Oh, don't be like that. Chuck thinks it's Bart, but I say it's your soloist."

Jeff turned to them, "Ethan, that's just way off base. Toby and Jim are just video game geeks, they aren't dating. And Blaine? He thought Toby had ulterior motives the first day they met."

"Well, the poll is pretty big, and each of us has put in $20 on one of the people on the poll. Every Warbler without a girlfriend or boyfriend that we know about is in the running, as are all his best friends. See?" Ethan leaned over and yanked out his phone to show Jeff a website with a poll on it. Jeff picked up the phone and looked through the list.

"Um, guys I'm on your list. You know I'm dating Adriana," he said, with a smirk and a sidelong glare.

"We haven't met her. She could be your Girlfriend in Canada for all we know," Chuck said.

Jeff just shook his head and handed the phone back, taking the time to chuckle to himself as he paused outside his fourth period class. He took solace in the absurd poll that Trent was only halfway up the list, while Blaine, Kurt, and Thad were all at the top, along with Jim. Clarice was even on the damn thing, and she had quite a bit of votes, even more than Trent. He decided he wouldn't tell Trent about that part. Turning to face the two boys, he asked, "Why don't you just go up to Toby and ask him?"

"Why would we do that? For one, it's rude, and two it's not nearly as much fun!" Ethan responded with a smirk.

* * *

It had been torture on Monday for Blaine to watch Kurt sing Blackbird. He had never seen another human being pour such raw emotion into such beautiful music, a song that had ripped out his own heart to hear it. He felt Kurt's attachment, his loss, and his love for the tiny avian that Blaine had merely felt responsible for earlier this year. It proved that Kurt Hummel was a uniquely special individual, and it had gotten his attention in ways that even Kurt's Valentine's Day rant had failed to pierce his bubble of obliviousness.

The two days in between had seemed like an eternity to him, and Blaine was ready to walk right into the Warbler's meeting later today and take the first steps in his plan to win Kurt's heart. Class ended just in time for him to run back to the dormitory and put away his things. When he arrived Aaron was already there, supposedly studying but playing Teenage Dream on his computer. Sometimes he regretted loaning his roommate that CD, because the bouncy beat of  _The One That Got Away_  did little to hide the sense of loss inherent in the song, and Aaron wasn't doing so well at hiding his tears as he listened to it.

_Someone Said You Had Your Tattoo Removed._

_Saw You Downtown Singing the Blues._

_It's Time to Face the Music,_

_I'm No Longer Your Muse._

_But In Another Life,_

_I Would Be Your Girl._

_We'd Keep All Our Promises,_

_Be Us Against the World._

_In Another Life,_

_I Would Make You Stay._

_So I Don't Have to Say,_

_You Were the One That Got Away._

_The One that Got Away._

_The o-o-o-o-o-one._

_The o-o-o-o-o-one._

_The o-o-o-o-o-one._

_The one that got away._

Blaine walked over to Aaron and placed a hand on his shoulder. Aaron looked up, eyes bleary and wet and nodded to Blaine. He paused the playback.

"Thinking about her like this isn't going to get you over her. Especially because you feel betrayed on top of it. Maybe you should be listening to 'Before He Cheats' or 'Breaking Dishes'?" he said.

Aaron didn't even crack a smile as he shrugged, seemingly glued to his desk, "I've got to do something to distract myself. Mrs. Chapel already chewed me out about it."

"The key word there is distract, not dwell on," Blaine thought about his timing, and thought he could make things work. "That settles it, I'm going to go set my own plan for happiness in motion, but since Kurt is headed back to Lima tonight, I'll be taking you out to dinner."

Blaine paused and squeezed Aaron's shoulder as he continued, "Anywhere you want, even in Columbus if you like," he said with a big grin on his face.

Aaron looked over at him incredulously, "I can't. I can't let you pay for me for something like that, and besides I have work tonight!"

"Call in sick. It's not far from the truth," Blaine said, as he walked out of the room. "I'll be back before 5."

* * *

April 9, 2011

Lina and the rest of the girls walked into the building bright and early, as Toby let them in. She turned to face Christina, Adriana, Allison and Toby and asked, "So, did you all do your parts?"

Allison nodded, a smirk growing on her face, "It was so hard to keep my parents from mentioning it to Nick when he met us halfway to pick me up. Mom loves to tell him every little thing I do."

Christina and Adriana nodded and Toby nodded, "I found a boom box for an iPod and bought it. Jeff thought it was for me to study with. He doesn't know."

Adriana smiled, "I think that's it then. We just have to amuse ourselves for a few minutes more, then the Warblers will begin filing into the dorm main hall." No sooner had she said so when the first boys began to file down the stairs. Toby recognized Michael and Carey chatting as they approached. Carey nodded at Toby and winked at the girls gathered. The girls closed ranks and acted like they were chatting. Toby nonchalantly walked towards the wall and sat down on the bench.

Within five minutes the rest of the Warblers arrived and began to mill about, waiting for the last of the Dalton boys who wanted to ride to Regionals with them. The Warblers were the only ones wearing their blues, so it was a chaotic looking group this morning. Toby reached under his seat, and brought out the boom box. He toggled the play button and the hallway was immediately filled with the opening bars of  _Intuition_  by Jewel. The Dalton boys looked over to the sudden sound, and were met with the sight of the four girls stepping into formation, and dropping their outer coats.

They stepped forward as one, sashaying back and forth for four steps, with Lina lip-syncing Jewel's lyrics. They jumped in unison to the left landing with their legs apart and bounced in time, using a hip hop dance vibe, to "I Really Try to Understand, All the Powers That Rule This Land." They began to walk again, crossing in front of one another as the song continued, "They Say Miss J's Big Butt is Boss, Kate Moss Can't Find a Job, In a World of Post Modern Fad, What Was Good Now is Bad."

They dipped low, whipped their hair back as they stopped and grinded as a group to "It's not Hard to Understand, Just Follow This Simple Plan." Then they stepped to the left, hands on hips, left knee bent with the other straight to "Follow Your Heart, Your Intuition," before rising up and reversing the pose while "It Will Lead You In the Right Direction" played in the background. They sexily sauntered forward and then repeated the move over the chorus. Most of the Warblers and their friends were speechless, and they watched with rapt attention.

The girls spun a quarter turn to the right around an invisible axis in the center of their formation and now Christina was lip-syncing the lyrics as they broke into a soulful mini-slide left and right, emphasizing their shoulder motions. "You Look At Me, But You're Not Quite Sure, Am I It or Could You Get More? You Learn Cool From Magazines, You Learn Love From Charlie Sheen." She broke from the others to emote with her hands to indicate herself as the song blared out, "If You Want Me Let Me Know, I Promise I Won't Say No," ending with all the girls dancing, emphasizing their hips this time, still synchronized, as the chorus played once more.

All four girls busted out into different pop-and-lock moves over the nearly spoken lyrics "You Got Something That you Want Me To Sell, Sell Your Sin, Just Cash In. You Got Something That You Want Me to Tell, You'll Love Me, Wait and See."

Christina and Lina spun away from the center to reveal Adriana and Allison with linked arms walking forward and lip-syncing "If You Want Me, Don't Play Games, I Promise, It Won't Be in Vain." They slipped their arms loose to join Christina and Lina in pumping their arms forward in time to the bass beats in the backing track, and half the boys present visibly reacted. As the chorus, and the end of the song played, the girls did variations on a two-step and synchronized their gross arm motions but each girl put her own personality on the moves. The song ended, and Toby stopped the music, as the hallway burst into raucous applause. Many of the Warblers ran forward to surround the girls, but none faster than Jeff, David, Nick and Wes.

Trent sidled up to Toby as he was putting his boom box away, and bumped into him, drawing his attention. "Did you know anything about this?" he asked, with a glint in his eyes.

Toby eyed him back and smiled, "Maybe..."

Kurt came up on his other side and leaning in said, "Nu-uh. No maybe. You're guilty. I can tell."

Toby smirked and said, "Well, I got this text from Adriana a few weeks ago, and just did my part. I didn't know it was all her and Lina's idea to send you off to Regionals in style."

Kurt smiled and said, "Of course you didn't. Nobody can accuse you of being unable to keep a secret, Toby."

The slimmer boy walked away and as Toby prepared to get his stuff ready for the bus, Trent furrowed his brows. "Um... are these the skinny jeans you wore here your first day?"

"Yeah. Is there something wrong with them I didn't notice? A stain or a tear?" Toby asked.

Trent pursed his lips briefly before shaking his head and saying, "No, nothing is wrong. I guess you've lost weight and I didn't notice."

"Really? I don't weigh myself regularly so I don't know. How can you tell?"

Trent smirked, and then leaned in to whisper, "Because I have a crystal clear memory for male behinds clad in tight denim, and they're loose on you now."

Toby blushed and looked at his boyfriend as he waited for the group to move outside. "You just love making me beet red," Toby said with a laugh on his lips.

Trent shrugged, "It's not on purpose. I just tell the truth. I can't help it if you get embarrassed by simple things like what we get up to in our spare time, or how sexy you are."

Toby looked down and then back up in Trent's direction. His eyes had begun to water and he said, "I know I say this all the time, but I really do love you. Given my expectations for this year, figuring that out... finding you... It was the last thing I expected to happen."

Trent smiled brightly at his boyfriend and said, "I think I've more or less loved you from the first time we went out to the mall."

Toby's cheeks became tear stained as he responded, "You would fall in love with a guy acting dorky in a car on the way to the mall!"

"And you would fall in love with the last person you expected," Trent replied.

Toby smiled broadly and said, "I know I'm holding all this stuff, but hug me please." Trent beamed at him and then embraced him, being careful not to crush the electronics and book bag Toby was holding.

* * *

"So, when did you get the idea to do a dance routine?" Nick asked Allison. His girlfriend leaned over in their bus seat and said, "I didn't, but when I found out I begged them to let me join in. I'm never trying out for a flash mob after this experience. It's too hard to practice by yourself in front of a computer." He smirked and nuzzled closer as the vehicle wound its way off the highway.

"Well we've got maybe ten minutes until we get there," he said, and she looked at him with a nod. "Well, I just wanted to make sure you knew how impressed I was," he concluded.

"Nick, you impress me every day," she said. He started to respond but she cut him off, "No, let me finish. You've always been a gentleman, I love your sense of humor and you're so talented. I'm proud to call you my boyfriend."

Nick smirked and said, "Hey, I could say that's all an act, but I do love you, Allie." He then leaned in conspiratorially and said, "Just don't tell anybody else, ok? I'm supposed to be a suave rogue." Allison laughed and the pair snuggled closer together.

A few rows behind Michael sighed as he watched them together. Joshua, who was sitting beside him near the window leaned over and said "You okay?"

"I'm just lonely. I'm in the most desirable group in Westerville and I can't even get a late night computer chat date," he replied.

Joshua screwed up his face at that admission, "Look, not all of us are dating. My cousin Carey doesn't have time for anything beyond school right now, even if he talks about girls all the time. There are plenty of gay guys at school who are single. Don't give up hope yet."

Michael sunk further into the seat and said, "You'd think that'd be easy, but I'm also into girls, so it's even more complicated."

Joshua blinked, "I thought you were gay." Michael shook his head, "I'm too excited by girls to be gay, and I'm too excited by boys to be straight."

"So you're bisexual? So what? Doesn't that make it easier to get a date?" Joshua asked.

"No, because most straight girls freak out if I turn my head at a guy, and most gay guys think I just want a fling and will go after anything living," he confided.

Joshua's wheels were turning, "You must be doing something wrong if you haven't found anybody who will go to dinner with you at least."

"Thanks, Joshua!" Michael said, shoving his friend slightly.

"No, seriously. You must be trying too hard, or pretending to be someone you're not. I know you don't want to hear the standard 'If I was gay' line, but it's true. You're sending out the wrong signals or something," Joshua said, looking the dark haired boy in the eyes.

Michael just looked back at him, and a minute later he smiled and visibly relaxed, "Thanks."

"Don't mention it," came the response.

The bus rolled into the parking lot and eventually came to a stop. Thad stood and said, "Okay, gents. This is where we advance. I know a lot of you have come to a bit of an understanding about our rivals, but you have got to go out there and give it your all, because I know for a fact that our biggest threat, New Directions, is going to do just that. If we don't win, it will be because they really were better. I've never seen this group as sharp as it is now in my three years of membership, and I've never seen us this prepared before a competition either. So, stand up and prepare to knock the audience dead. Are you ready?"

A chorus of affirmative cheers rang throughout the school bus, and Thad exited. The other occupants began to file off. No sooner than Toby Armstrong had stepped out onto the pavement and moved aside so that everybody could gather then a television crew pushed through the crowd and cornered him. He honestly didn't see the camera until they stepped in front of his view.

"Toby Armstrong, are you present today to support your school in this academically sponsored competition?" Toby was flabbergasted and it took him long moments with his hands in the pockets of his red hoodie to finally look back at the reporter and respond. The reporter pressed forward, "And is there any truth to the rumor that you are dating another teenage boy? Is your boyfriend here today?"

Toby's response to that one was quick as he exclaimed, "What?" but he froze with a blank look of shock and surprise on his face that was horrifying to most of the Dalton students present. Michael, Carey and David walked over and ushered Toby away before he could regain his composure enough to answer. David stayed behind to keep the reporter occupied.

"Isn't that an inappropriate question to ask a teenager on a school outing in a public place far from home?" David asked, his smooth performer persona coming to the fore.

The reporter tried to worm information out of David next by saying, "Given the buzz on the internet, it seems like it's the one question everyone wants Toby to answer. Maybe you're involved with the situation?"

"Be that as it may, everybody here came for a show choir competition. Did you have any questions about that?" he asked, keeping the flow of conversation in hand.

The reporter said, "What is your relation to Mr. Armstrong, Mr...?"

David answered smoothly, "Peterson. I'm on the Warblers council and Mr. Armstrong is a fellow student who, like everybody not wearing a uniform that just got off that bus, is here to support the Dalton Academy show choir. Those of us wearing uniforms are here to win the competition and advance to Nationals in New York City." He said the last with a smile while looking into the camera.

David linked hands with Christina as she came up to point out that everybody else was already headed inside, "Come on, we'll be left behind," she said. David smiled again and nodded once to the reporter and walked away.

* * *

From her seat with the other Dalton supporters, particularly sitting next to William and Toby, Adriana suffered through two songs with a Christian religious theme delivered with an animatronic feel. This first group is horrid, she thought. It's like watching people dressed up as the dolls in  _It's a Small World After All_  and watching them move robotically in order to sell the performance. They didn't look like they were having fun, and they didn't look like they even liked the songs they were singing. Why would you sing a Christian song and deliver it like that at a competition?

Once the Warblers had taken the stage she was treated to a beautiful duet between Blaine and Kurt, whom she had just found out today were now dating. Their chemistry was great, and their voices combined into something heavenly.

When she could take her eyes off of them long enough to clap she turned to look at William and saw tears streaming down his face. When she had asked him what was wrong, he had only responded, "I can hear what they feel." She hadn't asked for elaboration on that, not sure she'd understand anything but a long explanation.

Next Blaine changed places with an embarrassed Kurt and began singing "Right, Right, Turn Off the Lights, We're Gonna Lose Our Minds Tonight, What's the Dealio?" The crowd was immediately into the song and were on their feet before the Warblers got to the chorus! If she was being honest with herself, she'd have to admit that the whole experience was quite stirring.

Seeing all the boys moving en masse across the stage in perfect harmony and belting out the anthem without the slightest hesitation made her a little more than casually involved with the show. She couldn't even keep her eyes on Jeff, because the entire group was such a treat to watch. 'They are going to win! I just know it!' she thought as the song continued.

* * *

"I'm really sorry that you all didn't get to go on, Trent," Toby says as the Warblers and the rest of the Dalton crew headed out into the main hall.

"Hey, it's not like we got blown out of the water. We were phenomenal. New Directions was just better," he replied. Trent smirked at his boyfriend as they walked out next to one another into the main thoroughfare of the theatre

Toby nodded and said, "I thought Kurt was going to throw his tie on stage when that girl got through with her solo."

"He was rather excited wasn't he?" then Trent looked up and blinked. He came to a halting stop, and Toby paused and looked back at him, about to ask if everything was alright when a large heavyset man wrapped him up in a firm hug and said, "Boys! It's so good to see you!"

"Dad! What are you all doing here, and why are you crushing my best friend!" Trent asked mouth fully agape. Trent's father released Toby and turned around and gave his son a crushing hug as well.

"We decided to go on a little trip, and now that we're here, you're coming to lunch with the family!" he said.

Trent's mother stepped forward and said, "Abe, let them breathe. You're embarrassing them." His father stepped back and looked at his wife, then turned around and gave them a sheepish look by way of apology. He ushered them through the crowd and out into the daylight. Both boys were surprisingly quiet and didn't say anything even when they were piled into the back seat of the family car.

Trent pulled out his cell phone and texted David,  **Got kidnapped by my folks. Don't wait for me or Toby. Thanks for what you did earlier.**

As they got moving, Sharon piped up, "Hey, you two can come clean now. I read gossip blogs, big bro."

Toby and Trent shared a look and then Trent turned back to his family and said, "We have no idea what you're talking about."

Trent's mother asked without turning around, "Are you two at least using protection?"

Toby turned beet red while Trent nearly screamed out, "Mom!" from the seat in the middle. His mother's eyes flashed through the rear view mirror, took in Toby's blush and nodded. "See, Sharon. Every time. It's important." The dark haired girl sniffed with a know-it-all disaffected attitude, as if she had no intentions of ever having sex let alone without protection, and turned right to take in the view passing outside her window.

Trent turned to his left and said, "Toby, I'm so sorry. I didn't know they were going to ambush us, and begin interrogating you."

"No, no this is okay," he said after he got up the courage to actually speak. "You can ask about summer this way," he said, letting the thought hang in the air.

"Summer plans, huh? Let's talk about that over a meal. How've you liked the great state of Ohio since you started here in the fall, Toby?" Trent's dad asked.

"It's been great, Mr. McAdams," he replied. "That's mostly because I met your son on the first day and Trent is so awesome," he said with a smirk. His fingers reached over and intertwined with Trent's right hand and he looked up at his eyes, making contact when his boyfriend looked down and then towards him.

"I still can't believe you're dating Mr. Bossy-Pants. You could have anybody but you're with my diva brother," Sharon said from the other side.

"I cannot believe the lack of respect, little sis. Wait until you're dating. I'm sending your first boyfriend a t-shirt with your baby pictures printed on it," he said with an exasperated air. Everybody besides the two of them in the car burst into laughter.

* * *

April 10, 2011

The minister heard, "Pastor Jenkins?" from behind him as he finished seeing the majority of the students out of the chapel.

"Yes? Oh, Toby. It's good to see you again. Did you enjoy the service?" he said, fishing for feedback or an idea of his mental state in between pleasantries.

The blond nodded and asked, "I was hoping to ask your guidance about something."

It didn't take long for him to ascertain the level of importance this talk would cover, so he finished closing up and led Toby back to his office off to the right side of the building. When he had unlocked the door and let Toby and himself inside, he sat down at the desk and bade the boy to sit in the plush cushioned, wooden chair across from him. The youngster took the seat with an air of trepidation and waited for a sign to begin.

"So what's all this about, Toby?" he asked.

The boy looked down at his hands and then raised his eyes to say, "I'm in a situation where I have a secret that probably isn't going to be able to stay that way for much longer, and I can either lie about it, or tell everybody so it's not a secret anymore."

"Son, is this particular secret embarrassing?" he asked, more as a way to determine the importance of the secret to the young man than to pry.

Toby looked at him for long moments before saying, "Well, it could hurt my career, but I'm not embarrassed by it, no."

"So, you mean to say it could cause a scandal, but you're not scared about it becoming public knowledge," he replied trying to quantify the emotions Toby must be feeling.

"Can I ask you to maintain my confidence? It'll be easier if I just tell you," he said. It was a mature response to the question and he nodded and said, "Of course."

"I'm dating someone. Someone I love, and I have never felt this way about anybody else before in my life. I'm dating a fellow student here at Dalton, and we've been intimate with each other. It all feels right when I'm with him, and I'm not ashamed of him in any way. But I'm a Hollywood actor, and I don't know of any actors my age who are openly gay or bisexual, and I'm sure there will be problems if I don't lie about our relationship," he said, pausing to take a breath.

The pastor stopped and thought for a moment, it was a full minute before he asked, "Do you feel strongly about having to lie about this?"

Toby nodded and said, "I don't like lying to my fans, or my friends and family. Dishonesty makes me angry."

"Then it seems obvious to me that you either need to get this off your chest and publicly embrace it, or you need to become accustomed to not answering the questions that will arise, or perhaps are already swirling about you," he said. The look on the boy's face told him that he was in the latter situation already, God help him. His faith filled out his own life, and he would turn the children to guidance when they asked for it, but this wasn't a black and white issue, and the bible was remarkably silent on it in general if you really looked at the text. "I can't tell you God would want you to do one over the other."

Toby's brow furrowed as Pastor Jenkins stood and walked around the desk. "You don't have to make a decision today, Toby. Just think about what you can live with, persecution or paranoia. I won't paint the paths you've set yourself in gold. America isn't really ready for a teenage celebrity in a gay relationship. At best you can expect plenty of outraged parents calling for you to be taken off that kid's show you were on. But I think you have to decide to do what you are comfortable with, not what others expect of you."

"Thanks, Pastor Jenkins. I'll go now. I've got lots to think about," the boy said as he rose. The door shut behind him and not for the first time did the older man think about all the students over the years with uncomfortable situations and decisions that he had helped do what they could live with, rather than reassure them that what they were wanting to do was right


	20. Never

**Disclaimer** : I don't own Glee, and this isn't an a threat to the rights of those who do.

 

* * *

 

April 18, 2011

An unknown person woke their computer from sleep, and the desktop flared to light bathing the operator in a cool blue light. In a matter of moments, the operator opened a web browser and the address for the Scandal Sheet appeared character by character in the empty bar. A few seconds later, multiple stories about celebrities and their doings became visible. The mouse scrolled down to the bottom of the page, where a 'Submit a Scandal' button graced the lower left hand corner of the site. The mouse cursor clicked on it, and the new page loaded. It took only  a few moments for the operator to fill in several key pieces of information and to browse for the photo in question.

The mouse clicked upload and a photo appeared in the preview in stages, band by band from top to bottom. At first it just looked like a dark picture, but soon  the hallway of a large building began to be visible. The subdued golden color of blond hair and the shiny chocolate of brown were the next details that appeared in the corridor lined with doors. Then finally it resolved to an  image of two boys locked together in a kiss, in the hallways of Dalton. The mouse clicked 'Submit'.

 

* * *

 

April 20, 2011

Toby had just come back to campus from getting the impala's oil changed. It was one more distraction he wished he didn't have to deal with. He'd rather have been studying given how much anxiety he had just leaving campus alone right now. He parked the car, locked it with the key fob and began walking up to the dormitory building. A woman walked out of the dormitory as he approached and she smiled at him. He smiled back, trying to be polite. He wondered who she was here visiting, when she made to intercept him and drew her hand out of her coat to present a device under his nose and catch him up short.

"Amanda Parkins, Youth Beat Magazine. Mr. Armstrong, would you be able to spare a few minutes for an interview?" she asked. Toby didn't say anything in response and she continued, as if that were an affirmative response. "There are a lot of rumors floating about you right now. Firstly, that you ran away from a successful run of 'Welcome to Mollywood _'_ , and secondly that the reason for that attends this private boys' school here in southern Ohio. Can you clear up those questions?"

"I didn't run away from the show! I'm here to finish my education!" he responded with some fire in his voice.

She was unperturbed by his reply and pressed forward, "So you're saying there is no truth to the rumor that you are dating a fellow student here at Dalton?"

"How did you even get onto the grounds, Miss Parkins?" he asked, narrowing his eyes. He walked around her and started for the door once again. She shrugged and explained, "My cousin attends, I came to give him a visit. He apparently didn't know anything more about your situation either, but he's not in your grade so that's to be expected," while following him, the recorder still held out front. She said, "Come on Mr. Armstrong, the entire country is waiting with baited breath for you to clear the air."

"Can't you all just leave me alone? I can't concentrate on school with all of this!" he said yanking the door handle open and dashing inside.

The woman stepped briefly back inside but didn't follow him further, instead she called after him, "Care to speculate what might happen if you were the first openly gay teen actor on a G-Rated TV program?"

Toby paused briefly at that barb, and honestly felt his anger rise at that comment. He was about to reply, when he realized that his only hope of going back to his job relied upon him not making a media circus because he was rude, or worse aggressive. He spun on his heel and continued to walk away, 

Out of the grouping of students who witnessed the incident, one of them turned and said, "It's disgusting the way they hound him like that!" Toby looked over at them and flinched. One of the boys elbowed the original speaker and they both began to wave at him, but he had already looked away and was practically running down the hall now. "Oh well", the first boy said, "he's gone now. I wonder what horrible headline this will turn into."

 

* * *

 

April 22, 2011

**@LittleBirdy: Hey @LizzyBear @RepOman @Celeblog the @ScandalSheet has a scoop on @TStrong.**

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**@RepOman: @LitttleBirdy What?**

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**@LizzyBear: @LittleBirdy Oh no. This cannot be true! #HeartBroken**

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**@LittleBirdy: @LizzyBear I told you....**

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**@RepOman: @LittleBirdy You are something else.**

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**@Celeblog: @LittleBirdy Interesting.... @TStrong care to comment?**

Toby pushed his way through the double doors and into the dining hall. He walked to the back of the line for food, and was thinking to himself about what he should write his end of term literature paper on. He was just discounting _The Hobbit_ , when the background noise changed and caused him to really listen to his surroundings. The animated conversations in the room had died down, and while he was leaning over to get a tray and utensils, he noticed the first glance.

His eyes rose and he could see a good portion of the students staring at him. Some of the looks were conspiratorial, others lusty, and some reeked of disgust. There were sympathetic looks as well, but from where he stood in the center of a sea of eyes, those were by far the least numerous. He stood to his full height, gathered himself and forced himself to put one foot in front of the other ignoring everyone around him.

Trent had told him that he and the Warblers weren’t going to be coming to dinner early today, so he was all alone unless he could find Jim. Butterflies and a lump in his throat formed as he continued to shuffle forward. He began to hear a low tide of whispers, and he knew all of them were about him, but he didn’t know why. He hadn’t felt this nervous even after his first episode of Mollywood aired. It was like walking into school naked like in a bad dream, but Toby knew there wasn’t anything wrong with his blues, or his hair for once.

"He doesn’t even seem to know...," came from just outside the buffet area, and Toby looked over towards where he thought he had heard the comment come from. He was made suddenly aware of nearly one hundred eyes locking on his face, and he couldn’t focus or breathe.

“I saw the photo, and I couldn’t believe it either. To think he’s been kissing Trent all year long!” he heard and then he heard a loud noise.

"Watch it, Toby!" he heard from beside him. Hearing his own name brought him out of his fugue, and that was when he noticed the students in line beside him much further away than they had been when last he had paid them attention. Each of them was staring at him or the floor. When he followed their gazes, he saw the clutter of everything he had been holding scattered everywhere and what little food he had put on his plate spread across the tiles. His throat caught and Toby reached a hand up to his mouth, turned and walked as fast as he could out of the dining hall.

 

* * *

 

"Hey, Will. What's eating you?" Tim said as he came into the room after finishing his after school practice. He dropped his duffel on the floor and Aaron Neville looked up and in his direction.

"Hey, Tim. I'm just so frustrated about this recital. I can't seem to pick the right song order, and then there's the chance I'll screw it all up, and Blaine wants sheet music by the end of next week!" William responded. The third year looked like he hadn't slept, which Tim knew wasn't right. So he walked over and appraised him again as Will continued to move files around on his computer.

"I know what you need. You need a home weekend," Tim said.

William looked directly at Tim's face and the shock showed. "I can't go home this weekend! I have so much work to do on the recital, and a paper due on Wednesday!"

"Not your home, dude. My home. You're coming with me to the McNab family homestead and you're gonna relax if I have to sit on you," Tim said, turning his back and heading to his closet.

"Um... thanks, Tim, but now is really not the time," William replied, trying to put up an excuse.

Tim smirked and said, "You'd better get packed. We aren't the same size, and I'm going to get gas first. You have twenty minutes. Don't think about packing your computer."

William sighed. It was obvious he wasn't getting out of this, so he stood and walked towards his closet.

 

* * *

 

Trent knocked on the door, and when he heard a weak "Come in" he tried the door handle and pushed inside. The sight he saw was depressing to him, firstly because his boyfriend was obviously upset and wallowing in the mood, and because he shouldn't have to be in this situation to begin with. If he could find the person who had taken, let alone posted, that photo he'd give them a piece of his mind, or just his knuckles. He wasn't sure whether his primal anger would take over or not, and God help the idiot who had ruined Toby's week if he ever did find them.

"Hey, Teddy, wanted to know how you were feeling," he said. He walked the length of the room and sat down on the bed next to the curled up body of his love. Planting a hand gently on the older boy's hip he rubbed gently, only to have the face he loved turn towards him to show eyes marred with redness and puffy skin underneath them down to his cheeks.

"I feel awful," he said. There wasn’t much emotion in his voice, and it seemed like his monotone response was less about how he felt and more about what it had done to him before anyone had gotten Trent word of the situation.

"It’s not the end of the world, you know?" he tried, hoping to draw Toby out of his funk enough to do something positive about it.

"My life is over! I can’t even look the other students in the eye right now. How can I face my fans, or my old bosses when the Studio finally decides what to do about this?” Toby asked animatedly.

Trent shrugged, shook his head and said, "I don’t know that you should worry about it. For one thing I’ve decided that no matter what I’m going with you this summer. If I have blackmail my parents, that’s what I’ll do. Plus, if the studio can’t see what a good actor you are regardless of who you love, then they don’t deserve you. Audition elsewhere!”

“I don’t think you understand how it works in Hollywood. Everybody thinks I can go back to Hollywood and become the next Neil Patrick Harris. But most gay stars are in the closet or they are typecast. I’ve never been typecast before!" Toby exclaimed. He paused and stared ahead, his jaw hanging low. His mouth closed and he made eye contact with Trent.

"Ok, most of the time directors wanted an overweight kid, which I am, but I still did drama, physical comedy, comedic drama, and one time an adventure story. It’s a real possibility all they’ll want now is ‘the hilarious gay friend’ and I don’t know if you’ve noticed but one-liners aren’t my thing!” Toby spat out, the continuous line of argument drowning Trent as the blond waved his arms about.

“I don't know what to do except tell the truth, but I just know everything is going to be different now," Toby said. Trent didn’t know what was harder to decide, to be honest, or to claim someone had photoshopped his face and was trying to humiliate him. He knew which choice he’d prefer, but he also knew that they were going to get no further privacy if Toby made the ‘right’ choice.

"Well, if you ask me, being outed by some stranger is despicable, but at least you don't have to agonize about timing anymore," Trent replied. Toby inclined his head, lost in thought briefly, and then looked up and nodded.

"I'm just tired and all cried out. I'm done with people yelling about how I don't know what I'm doing or who I want. I especially hate them saying that we don't love each other, or that it's a sin, or whatever else they were saying when I just stopped reading messages," he said.

The blond used his arms to lift his body so he could turn onto his back in place. Trent responded by bending down and cupping his face gingerly, before placing a kiss on his lips. Toby smirked which caused his tear gouged face to brighten somewhat. "There he is," Trent said.

"Who?" Toby asked while gazing into his eyes.

"My boyfriend," Trent replied.

 

* * *

 

April 23, 2011

**@Celeblog: It's been weeks since rumors began to fly. Now we've got photographic proof. Q is who is the cute brunet?**

**@LizzyBear: @Celeblog He's Dead! Stealing my crush like that! #HeartBroken #Revenge**

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**@RepOman: @LizzyBear calm down. It's okay if he's gay. You can find a boyfriend elsewhere. Where do you live? I'll go out with anyone at least once.**

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**@LittleBirdy: @LizzyBear is right. @TStrong's made a mistake. Now he has to pay.**

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**@CelloBrate: @LittleBirdy @LizzyBear Why does anybody have to pay? @TStrong has his own life and has to live it for himself!**

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**@LizzyBear: @CelloBrate I've been saving myself for @TStrong for 2 years. I turn 17 next year! It wasn't supposed to be like this!**

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**@StudlyOne210: @Celeblog you should blacklist @TStrong. People on the internet shouldn't have to see his filth.**

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**@RepOman: @StudlyOne210 What? Why do you care?**

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**@StudlyOne210: My pastor says it's sinful, and kids go on the internet even when parents say no. They shouldn't see it.**

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**@FabGuy424: @StudlyOne210 Like he posted that photo himself? You are an idiot.**

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**@StudlyOne210: @FabGuy424 You are probably a homo too if you don't think it's some stupid plan of his to corrupt kids.**

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**@FabGuy424: @StudlyOne210 I am gay but that doesn't change that you're stupider than a rock. Nobody comes out by sending a photo to a rumor site.**

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**@LizzyBear: @TStrong please say it's the school play or acting practice or anything. Come back to my dreams!**

**@LittleBirdy: Toby's cell # is 310 555 4215. #hush**

(Part of Me by Katy Perry plays in the background.)

Toby ran down the hallway dodging fellow students, he weaved in and out of them, book bag flinging back and forth.

_Days Like This I Want to Drive Away  
Pack My Bags and Watch Your Shadow Fade_

He skidded to a stop at his dormitory room, and fumbled with the lock.

_Cause You Chewed Me Up and Spit me Out  
Like I Was Poison in Your Mouth_

His phone lit up with more text messages, the display showing "Why?!?" and "SINNER!" as he finally got the door open.

_You Took My Light, You Drained Me Down  
That Was Then and This is Now_

He dropped his book bag on the floor near the door, slammed it closed and ran towards his bed, tears streaming down his face.

_Now Look at Me!  
This is the Part of Me that You're Never Gonna Ever Take Away From Me, No!  
This is the Part of Me that You're Never Gonna Ever Take Away From Me, No!_

Toby received several more texts, "FAG!" "Homo!" "Kill yourself!" and as the onslaught continued his eyes couldn't help but fall towards it.

_Throw Your Sticks and Your Stones  
Throw Your Bombs and Your Blows  
But You're Not Gonna Break My Soul  
This is the Part of Me That You're Never Gonna Ever Take Away From Me, No!_

He read the display and choked out a gasp. Moments later he pushed off of the bed with a determined look on his face as he ran to the hallway.

_I Just Wanna Throw My Phone Away  
Find Out Who is Really There for Me_

Toby whipped open the door and threw his phone as hard as he could at the far wall. The device spun end over end in slow motion as the camera followed it past the shocked faces of students standing in the hall.

_Cause You Ripped Me Off, Your Love Was Cheap  
Was Always Tearing At the Seams  
I Fell Deep and You Let Me Drown  
But That Was Then and This is Now_

It lit up one last time to show "Repent your SINS" before it collided with and shattered against the far wall.

_Now Look at Me  
This is the Part of Me that You're Never Gonna Ever Take Away From Me, No!_

The blond stood in the hallway panting and when he raised his face the tears had slopped.

_This is the Part of Me that You're Never Gonna Ever Take Away From Me, No!  
Throw Your Sticks and Your Stones  
Throw Your Bombs and Your Blows_

Several of his schoolmates began to approach him, when Toby spun on his heel and went back into his room, closing the door behind him.

_But You're Not Gonna Break My Soul  
This is the Part of Me That You're Never Gonna Ever Take Away From Me, No!_

The scene changed and Toby walked into the dining hall wearing his iPod and earbuds, ignoring the stares he was receiving, and every set of eyes was on him as he took his place in line.

_Now Look at Me I'm Sparkling  
A Firework, A Dancing Flame  
You Won't Ever Put Me Out Again  
I'm Glowing, oh Woah Oh!  
You Can Keep the Dog for Me, I Never Liked Him Anyway  
In Fact You Can Keep Everything  
Yeah, yeah  
Except for me_

Trent walked up and placed a new phone in his hand. Toby smiled and looked up at his boyfriend, making eye contact with a look of complete trust and devotion. He pocketed the phone and intertwined their fingers into a tight clasp.

_This is the Part of Me that You're Never Gonna Ever Take Away From Me, No!  
This is the Part of Me that You're Never Gonna Ever Take Away From Me, No!  
Throw Your Sticks and Your Stones  
Throw Your Bombs and Your Blows  
But You're Not Gonna Break My Soul  
This is the Part of Me That You're Never Gonna Ever Take Away From Me, No!_

That night he tapped a message out on his laptop, and shut it before sliding into bed.

_This is the Part of Me that You're Never Gonna Ever Take Away From Me, No!  
This is the Part of Me that You're Never Gonna Ever Take Away From Me, No!  
Throw Your Sticks and Your Stones  
Throw Your Bombs and Your Blows  
But You're Not Gonna Break My Soul  
This is the Part of Me That You're Never Gonna Ever Take Away From Me, No!_

Trent's phone buzzed as he received a tweet from his boyfriend along with the rest of the world.

**@TStrong: I'm in love with a boy. Yes I'm sure it's right. Please leave us alone unless you have something nice to say. This is never going to change.**

 

* * *

 

April 25, 2011

Mr. Lucas entered the room precisely one minute before the bell rang. He looked around the room and made eye contact with Toby Armstrong before sitting down at his desk. "Mr. Armstrong, you're excused from afternoon classes. Please head to the counselor's office," he said, while rifling through his desk for the text.

The blond continued to sit in his chair and he said, "Sir, if it's all the same to you, I'd rather just stay in class. I can't afford to fall behind and...."

Mr. Lucas slammed his book onto the desk, stood in one motion and leaned forward to glare at Toby. "Mr. Armstrong, as a teacher in this school your mental wellbeing is slightly more important to me than your academic performance. Stand up and leave my classroom right now!" he exclaimed. Toby blinked and looked flustered while standing and gathering his belongings. He couldn't seem to meet the eyes of his classmates as he made his way to the door. The instructor concluded as Toby's feet reached the doorway, "Do not fail to appear where you are supposed to be, Mr. Armstrong, or you and I will be having a conversation."

 

* * *

 

"Come in, Mr. McAdams," she said, standing to beckon the tall teen inside her doorway. She continued, "Take a seat."

The boy sat down, nervously patted down his uniform and looked up to make brief eye contact with his headmistress before looking back at her desktop, his  hands, the desk lamp, then the wall. Meanwhile she paced in front of him. Her nervous motion fed into his own discomfort.

"Mrs. Reginald, can I ask why I'm here?" the boy ventured. His voice didn't crack, which she admired. Even when unsure he was still confident enough that he knew he didn't deserve to be here. She sighed and sat down.

"Mr. McAdams, can I be frank?" she asked. The brunet nodded and gulped silently as she gathered her thoughts.

"It has recently come to my attention that you are in a relationship with Mr. Armstrong, and the avenue of this information was a very public one. Consequently, we have a harassment problem," she said. The boy's eyes lit up and then his shock wore off.

"So you've seen the photo?" was all he asked after that revelation. It was a rather rhetorical question, given everything she had just said.

"Yes, and Mr. Armstrong didn't see it as a serious threat," she explained. This bit of information caused Trent to furrow his brow.

"You've already spoken to Toby and he doesn't think this is bad?"

She sighed and leaned further back in her chair, her exasperation growing slightly. She had an image to maintain, but Dalton itself had an image to maintain, an image of safety for all of its students that was fracturing as long as this business went on. "I dare say he's embarrassed about it, and he claims he was angry about having to change phone numbers but he doesn't see how someone posting private info about him, excuse me, about both of you on the internet is harassment, and therefore a school matter," she said.

"I wish I could tell you something, because it's been hard for him to cope with the media explosion," the teen explained.

"So you don't have any clue who might have snapped the photo?" she asked. The boy shook his head, "No, it could be anyone with a camera phone, so anybody really."


End file.
